Thread: Illegal Immigrant's Scam Unravels

Illegal immigrant's scam unravels

Friday, April 27, 2007
By MICHAEL BUCK
The Express-Times


EASTON | For at least 10 years Mario Leonel Flores-Cabrera used a stolen identity to obtain a driver's license, get a job and register cars with the state, court records show.

But there's one thing his false identity couldn't get him: a passport.


Police said federal agents caught wind of Flores-Cabrera's scam when he tried to apply for a passport in 1997 in Maryland using the name Javier Velez Roman.

A background check showed Roman had a drug conviction in Puerto Rico and did not match Flores-Cabrera's photo and physical description, a police report says. Flores-Cabrera was denied a passport.

Then in October 2006 Flores-Cabrera, of the 1000 block of Washington Street, applied for a passport again, this time at the Easton Post Office. When agents with the state department approached Flores-Cabrera he told them he was an illegal, undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, court records show.

In between his applications for a passport, the 36-year-old used his alias to get a job at Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Co. in Phillipsburg, police said.

Atlantic States spokeswoman Michelle Clemon said there was never any reason to suspect Flores-Cabrera of being an illegal immigrant.

"This is a case of stolen identity," she said, adding that when hired Flores-Cabrera presented a valid social security number and driver's license.

Clemon said it is not the policy of the company to hire illegal immigrants.

Court records show Flores-Cabrera had eight cars registered with the state.

Flores-Cabrera was charged with forgery, identity theft and tampering with records or identification. He is in Northampton County Prison in lieu of $50,000 straight bail.

Reporter Michael Buck can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at mbuck@express-times.com




http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/pa/ ... xml&coll=2

I'll never understand why they give people like this the opportunity to make bail. This guy is definitely a flight risk.

Police said federal agents caught wind of Flores-Cabrera's scam when he tried to apply for a passport in 1997 in Maryland using the name Javier Velez Roman.

A background check showed Roman had a drug conviction in Puerto Rico and did not match Flores-Cabrera's photo and physical description, a police report says. Flores-Cabrera was denied a passport.

I want to know why he wasn't arrested and deported, back in 1997 ?????