Doctor imprisoned for conspiring to harbor illegal aliens in Massachusetts by surgically altering their fingerprints

By Conor Berry
on December 19, 2014 at 11:59 PM, updated December 20, 2014 at 12:20 AM

BOSTON - A doctor and his assistant are expected to be deported to their native Dominican Republic after serving prison sentences for scheming to surgically alter illegal aliens' fingerprints in Massachusetts, according to federal prosecutors.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns on Friday handed down prison sentences of 27 months and 18 months, respectively, for 61-year-old Danilo Ramon Martinez and 40-year-old Teresa Araujo Ramirez for conspiring to harbor illegal aliens in the U.S.

The pair was indicted in December 2013 and pleaded guilty to the charges in August of this year.

Martinez, a licensed medical doctor in his native country, arranged to perform medical procedures that would modify the fingerprints of illegal aliens to help conceal their true identities and criminal histories, federal officials said.

Ramirez conspired to assist and supply medications to patients, including painkillers and other controlled substances, according to authorities.

Authorities said they learned of the duo's scheme and set up a sting to nab them. Both were arrested in November 2013.

After completing their prison sentences, Martinez and Ramirez are expected to be deported to the Dominican Republic, according to U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, whose office handled the prosecution.

http://www.masslive.com/news/boston/...tant_both.html