GA - Pair facing immigration fraud charges

by Amanda Thomas / Douglas County Sentinel
23 hrs ago

Two men were arrested in a McDonald’s parking lot as a part of an undercover sting, delivering phony Social Security cards and other identification that were destined to help illegal aliens pass themselves off as legitimate.

Enrique Martinez, 28, of Douglasville and Michael Martinez, 26, of Smyrna appeared in Douglas County Magistrate Court Friday, accused of manufacturing fake Social Security and permanent resident cards in a fraud ring that extends across metro Atlanta.

According to the warrant Chief Magistrate Judge Susan Camp read in court, the pair had set up a purchase, that turned out to be to an undercover investigator Thursday. They reportedly sold the fake documents for $100.

The permanent resident card reportedly had an alien registration number on it that belonged to another individual.

“It’s a ring of individuals across metro Atlanta that are doing this,” Sheriff’s Sgt. Jon Mauney said. “Homeland Security has been working this investigation for an extended period of time in Atlanta and in our jurisdiction here in Douglas County. They have actually made purchases of these documents from these gentlemen and they’ve recovered equipment that shows that they had been producing this.”

Homeland Security has reportedly placed an immigration detainer on the Martinez’s.

“Based on Atlanta, they’re not U.S. citizens and they are capable of producing documentation to show that they are somebody they are not,” Mauney said. “They are a flight risk based on all the information I have been given from Homeland Security.”

Assistant District Attorney Jeff Gore requested no bond on behalf of the state.

“Apparently, it’s a fairly well organized and large organization,” Gore said. “They have been selling a lot of these IDs apart from the couple of sales to the undercover agent in this case and they have the means of fleeing the jurisdiction of this court I believe if released on bond.”

Camp agreed and denied bond.

Douglas County Sentinel - Pair facing immigration fraud charges