OL man charged in fake ID ring accused of murder conspiracy

October 24, 2007
From staff and wire reports

New murder-related charges were announced today against an Oak Lawn man accused of supervising an international counterfeit identification business in Chicago's Little Village community.

The U.S. attorney's office said federal racketeering conspiracy and murder-related charges were added to a previous indictment against Julio Leija-Sanchez, 31, of the 8700 block of South Austin Avenue. New charges were also added against his two brothers, Manuel Leija-Sanchez, 40, and Pedro Leija-Sanchez, 35, as well as alleged Mexican hitman Gerardo Salazar-Rodriguez, 34.Julio Leija-Sanchez' two brothers and Salazar-Rodriguez, all arrested recently in Mexico, are facing extradition to the United States, according to a release from the U.S. attorney's office. Julio Leija-Sanchez was arrested in Chicago in April.[/b]

According to prosecutors, the Mexico-based Leija-Sanchez organization operated a fraudulent ID document business in Little Village since at least 1993. The business allegedly sold Social Security cards, immigration "green cards" and state drivers' licenses and took in as much as $3 million a year in profits.

Each of the three brothers and Salazar-Rodriguez was charged late Tuesday with one count of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to murder, and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder outside the United States, the release said. Julio Leija-Sanchez and Salazar-Rodriguez were also charged with one count of murder for hire.

Each of the three brothers, if convicted on the murder-related charges, could face the death penalty.

The brothers are among 23 people facing charges in Chicago related to the counterfeit identification operation, which operated out of the Little Village Discount Mall at 26th Street and Albany Avenue.Contributing: Chris Hack and STNG News Service

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