Man denies charges in alleged alien ID case
Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 9:05 pm
1 Comment


Related: Man admits trying to buy form

A Billings man accused of helping aliens get fraudulent identification to live and work in Montana denied federal charges Tuesday.

Juan Nuno-Ramirez Sr., 53, pleaded not guilty to a 15-count indictment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby. The charges include conspiring to traffic visas, permits and other documents, fraud and misuse of immigration documents, harboring aliens, unlawful employment of aliens, false statements and aggravated identity theft.

For about two years beginning in 2004, Nuno-Ramirez conspired to get fake documents for relatives, employees and others to allow them to stay and work in the United States, the indictment said.

Nuno-Ramirez met with an undercover federal agent to buy fraudulent immigration documents, the indictment said. Nuno-Ramirez paid the agent a $2,500 cash deposit when ordering employment authorization documents and another $2,500 when the documents were delivered. The individuals then used the fake documents to apply for Social Security cards and get jobs in Billings and Bozeman.

The indictment did not identify Nuno-Ramirez's occupation or the jobs for which the aliens were hired.

If convicted, Nuno-Ramirez faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for misuse of documents and a consecutive two years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the identity theft count.

Ostby continued Nuno-Ramirez's release without bond. The case will be heard by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull.



http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/a ... 03286.html