Story published at magicvalley.com on Thursday, September 10, 2009
Last modified on Thursday, September 10, 2009 12:13 AM MDT

Deputies probe possible immigration fraud in Jerome
By Andrea Jackson

Twenty-three people in Jerome have complained to the sheriff's office in recent weeks that they were duped by an immigration consultant who took large sums of money from them but never followed through on promises to help with their citizenship paperwork.

Sheriff's officials consider this a case of possible fraud that unfolded on Aug. 13 and remained Wednesday under investigation, without any charges or arrests.

Jerome deputies searched a home and office on Aug. 27, situated at 325 West, 100 North, where they seized enough documents to fill a truck and the back of a police car, said Jerome County Sheriff's Det. Rick Cowen.

Complaints began rolling in on Aug. 13, Cowen said Wednesday. "The complaint revolved around the subject ��- taking large sums of money from Hispanic subjects and then promising to help them with their documentation but not following through with those promises."

Some of the victims are in the country legally - others aren't - but all paid to get help with citizenship paperwork for themselves or family members.

"Some are illegals and were doing documentation to try and become legal," said Cowen. Some of the victims were legal aliens and others were U.S. citizens who wanted to update their status or needed help with documentation for others.

The victims who are living illegally in the country are not facing charges absent any other wrongdoing, authorities said.

According to the United States Immigration Support Web site, formal regulations don't apply to immigration consultants in America, where "many jobs within the immigration field require formal education, but not immigration consultants."

Cowen said he doesn't have a timeline for how long it may take to sift through all the paperwork in the case. He also says he doesn't yet know if anyone will be charged with a crime, or if the whole case will go to federal authorities.

"Large sums of money" are involved, but Cowen declined to specify an amount.

He also declined to name the suspect, but confirmed there is only one.

A phone number at the house deputies searched two weeks ago is listed to a woman named Celia Perez. Attempts to reach her Wednesday on that line were unsuccessful.

The victims weren't trying to buy forged citizenship documents, Cowen said Wednesday. "They were trying to take the legal route."

Andrea Jackson may be reached at ajackson@magicvalley.com


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