Thread: MD: Illegal immigrants get four years for making fake IDs

Illegal immigrants get four years for making fake IDs


By: Scott McCabe
Examiner Staff Writer
October 11, 2010

Two illegal immigrants living in Hyattsville were sentenced to four years in prison for making thousands of fake identification documents for other illegal aliens.

Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland said Hilario Hernandez-Romero, 27, and his brother, Margarito Hernandez-Romero, 31, ran their illegal document mill out of their home from 2005 to 2009.

William Winter, special agent in charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency's Office of Investigations in Maryland, considers the fake documents to be an issue national security and public safety.

"The production and distribution of fraudulent identity and employment documents is a serious problem that poses a threat to our homeland security," Winter said. "We will continue to diligently identify, arrest and bring to justice those involved in these illegal schemes."

Some of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers bought fraudulent documents around Falls Church to obtain real driver's licenses and Virginia state IDs, which enabled them to purchase airline tickets and enroll in flight schools.

Federal agents have removed more than 10,000 fake documents from the D.C. area over the last several years, authorities said.

The Hernandez-Romero brothers, who are from Mexico, pleaded guilty to identification fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme. The brothers will be deported immediately after serving their prison terms, according to charging documents.

According to the guilty pleas, the fake ID ring consisted of at least five people.

In addition to manufacturing and distributing fake immigration documents and Social Security cards, the brothers made driver's licenses from 35 states and work identifications for a variety of employers, including the federal government and telecommunications companies, authorities said.

The crew made identification documents to look like legitimate immigration papers and Social Security cards. Orders for the documents were taken by runners who also distributed them.

Sometimes the brothers manufactured multiple driver's licenses with the same picture but using a number of sets of personal information, including names, dates of birth and addresses.

Authorities broke up the ring in November after undercover agents bought green cards, Maryland commercial driver's licenses card and a Social Security card.

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Oops! Guess they won't be sending $$$$ to their family and mexico from jail, eh? So much for "working" for a better life..