Cubans convicted for fraud; ordered deported

Thursday, November 06, 2014



TWO Cuban nationals who attempted to travel to Miami with fraudulent Canadian passports that were obtained in Jamaica are to be deported to their homeland.

The duo, 45-year-old Iosvany Rios, and Abdel Gonzales, 30, were recommended for deportation by Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey after they pleaded guilty to fraud charges on Tuesday in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

The men were arrested at the Norman Manley International Airport on October 27 and later charged with conspiracy to defraud, possession of forged documents and uttering forged documents.

According to the police, the Cubans arrived in the island on October 3, using their Cuban passports.

It is further reported that while they were in the island, they solicited and conspired with other people to create a Canadian passport using Jamaican names, Ray Linda and Andrew Dottin.

The men reportedly paid US$2,000 each to secure the passports.

On Tuesday when they appeared in court they pleaded guilty to the charges through an interpreter and were fined $20,000 or six months each on charges of uttering forged documents and possession of forged documents. No evidence was offered on the conspiracy to defraud charge.

However, after the fines were handed down, the men indicated through the interpreter that they did not have any money to settle them.

But Senior Magistrate Pusey, in a sharp retort, told them, "If you find US$2,000 for fake passports, you can find $40,000. That is not my business."

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...orted_17874601