Six Mexican nationals have been indicted for their part in the creation and selling of counterfeit United States identification and immigration documents. The Homeland Security Investigations department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement says that the Mexicans sold bundles of fake documents, including green cards and Social Security cards, charging between $80 and $150.
The defendants were identified as 31-year-old Angelica Moreno-Velasquez, 25-year-old Francisco Javier Hidalgo-Flores, 49-year-old Veronica Rosales-Capitaine, 22-year-old Fidel Vasquez-Velasquez, 30-year-old Maria Victoria Perez-Vasquez and 26-year-old Lizet Amairani Ramirez-Zazueta. They were all charged with crimes connected to the conspiracy. The Justice Department says that the fraudulent documents were produced by Hidalgo-Flores, Rosales-Capitaine and Vasquez-Velasquez. Orders were taken, biographical and photographic information acquired, and final delivery made to customers by Hidalgo-Flores, Perez-Vasquez and Vasquez-Velasquez. The delivery process also involved Ramirez-Zazueta and Moreno-Velasquez.
Ryan L Spradlin, the special agent in command of HSI Francisco, says that his organization aggressively focuses on criminals who produce and distribute fraudulent forms of identification illegally, adding that such activities open the door for dangerous individuals to gain access to the United States and cause serious problems for innocent people via identify theft.
The six Mexicans face a five-year prison term if given the maximum sentence for a charge of conspiracy. They will face 15 years if convicted of owning the counterfeit equipment or transferring false IDs, and a further ten years if any are also convicted of the misuse of green cards or fraud.