Wednesday, Apr 16, 2008 - 05:15 PM Updated: 07:53 PM

Illegal Immigrant Arrested In State Office

PROVIDENCE - Police have arrested an illegal immigrant from Bolivia at a state office after he allegedly showed a fake ID to a worker.

State police on Wednesday identified the man as Mario Chirinos, 31, who lives in Providence but told police he is originally from Bolivia.

They said he went to the Contractors' Registration Board Tuesday and tried to get a contractor's license, which he told them was so he could work as a carpeting installer.

The worker noticed the driver's license he presented looked fake and called police.

"The state of the Rhode Island seal that the worker knows should be on a license wasn't on this one. So that raised the suspicion and he called capitol police, who then called us," said Lt. Demers of the Rhode Island State Police.

Demers said police believe Chirinos may have been here as many as six years.

Chirinos was charged with identity fraud and filing a false document. He was arraigned and posted a surety bail of $5,000, police said.

He was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday for possible deportation and was taken to the federal Wyatt Detention Center.

Chirinos was being held and could not be reached for comment. It was not known if he had a lawyer, and the Bolivian Embassy in Washington did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

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