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Rito Salomon Palacios, 53, Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Impersonating Federal Officer
LAREDO, Texas – In a shocking case of deception, Rito Salomon Palacios, a 53-year-old Laredoan, has been ordered to federal prison after admitting to wire fraud and extortion under color of official right. According to Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery, Palacios pleaded guilty to the charges on September 9, 2020.
Palacios, who masqueraded as various federal officers, including Customs and Border Protection and immigration officials, defrauded and extorted members of the public who were not citizens or nationals of the United States. He demanded and obtained more than $72,000 from the fraud and extortion scheme.
The scheme involved Palacios delivering receipts in documents bearing the seal of the Department of Transportation and Customs and Border Protection. He also utilized the internet to set appointments for his victims to be fingerprinted. As part of the plea, Palacios admitted to committing these acts under the guise of being a federal officer.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana handed down the sentence of 57 months to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. During the hearing, the court heard testimony from four of Palacios’ victims, who detailed the harassment and threats they suffered at the hands of the imposter.
Palacios’ sentence reflects his history of thefts and lies, as well as his threats and aggression. Judge Saldana noted that Palacios’ actions were ‘heartless’ and that he poses a threat to the community.
The court also upwardly departed and raised Palacios’ criminal history category by two levels to adequately reflect his past crimes. The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Professional Responsibility and Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney José Angel Moreno prosecuted the case.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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