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ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM CUBA CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT

United States Attorney's Office
Western District of Pennsylvania

United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today, January 30, 2008, that on January 29, 2008, Nelson Negrin and Blas Rodriguez were indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on charges of Conspiracy, Access Device Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft.

The three-count indictment named Negrin, age 34, and Rodriguez, age 21. Both Negrin and Rodriguez are illegal aliens originally from Cuba, who were living in the Miami, Florida area at the time of the offense. Negrin is currently incarcerated in Miami, Florida on unrelated charges.

According to the indictment present to the Court, Negrin and Rodriguez obtained the identification information, including the social security numbers, of a number of individuals without their authorization. Negrin and Rodriguez then used the fraudulently obtained identification information to apply for lines of credit at various retail establishments, and to use the lines of credit to purchase merchandise. They also used the identification information to obtain credit cards in the names of victims, and fraudulently used those credit cards to purchase merchandise.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 17 years in prison, a fine of $600,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Financial Crimes Task Force of Southwestern Pennsylvania conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. The Financial Crimes Task Force of Southwestern Pennsylvania is comprised of United States Postal Inspectors, Special Agents of the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Investigators from the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, and Detectives from Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


pittsburgh.fbi.gov