Three residents of Dayton, including two undocumented immigrant brothers who entered the US illegally on several occasions, have been charged by the federal government with producing almost 100 fraudulent federal, state, and immigration identifications, authorities have revealed. Initial appearances were held in the US District Court in Dayton, on Wednesday, for Blas Martinez-Roldan, and Miguel Martinez-Roldan, as well as the latter’s wife, Angela Martinez.
The criminal complaint filed in the court states that they face charges related to three crimes connected to the alleged production of fake Ohio IDs and driver’s licenses, US Permanent Resident Identifications, and Social Security cards, as well as California IDs. The brothers are being detained sans bond until Tuesday, but Angela Martinez, being a US citizen, was freed with conditions.
The investigation lasted more than two years and was a joint operation between many federal and local agencies, according to Kevin Dye, the Resident Agent in Charge of the US Secret Service Dayton office. Dye says that the partnership between the various law enforcement agencies was vital to the pursuit of the three defendants, adding that it is possible there may be more arrests and subsequent prosecutions, such as of those who bought the IDs to illegally live in the US, work, file taxes, and receive public assistance.
The other agencies included Green County Prosecutor’s Office, the US Social Security Administration, Sidney police, Ohio Financial and Electronic Crimes Task Force’s Southern District, Dayton police, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the sheriff’s offices of Montgomery and Greene County.