Tomas Xirum, Selling Fake Government IDs, Massachusetts 2023

A New Bedford store owner has been caught selling fake government identification documents to undercover federal agents.

Tomas Xirum, 48, pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and three counts of unlawful production of document or authentication feature on August 17, 2023.

On three separate occasions - May 10, 2021, June 23, 2021, and August 11, 2022 - Xirum sold fraudulent Permanent Resident Cards (commonly referred to as "green cards") and Social Security cards to undercover federal agents from his store, International Guatemala Musical and Fashion Accessories.

The charges of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and unlawful production of document or authentication feature each provide for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 11, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris.

Xirum was initially charged by criminal complaint in August 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement today.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/new-bedford-store-owner-pleads-guilty-selling-fake-government-identification-documents