Ex-Big Papi Aide Faces Immigration Charges
Officials: Man In U.S. Illegally, Using False Name

POSTED: 10:33 am EST March 4, 2009
UPDATED: 10:56 am EST March 4, 2009


BOSTON -- A Dracut man who worked as an aide to Red Sox slugger David Ortiz admitted in federal court documents that he was in the country illegally and used the identity of a convicted drug dealer serving time in a Puerto Rican prison.

Felix Leopoldo Marquez Galice, who also used the name Edwin "Mongo" Garcia, a native of the Dominican Republic, has been charged with nine counts of making false claims of U.S. citizenship, two counts of making false statements related to the registry of aliens, and individual counts of falsely obtaining a Massachusetts driver's license, making false statements in a non-immigration visa application and misusing a visa, the Lowell Sun reported.

Galice is accused of using the real Edwin Garcia's Social Security number to apply for the driver's license and visa.

Galice lied about his true identity between 2003 and 2006, prosecutors said. During that time, Galice worked for Ortiz, a childhood friend, at Big Papi Enterprises, the paper reported.

Galice said he would plead guilty to five of the 14 charges if the other charges that could trigger mandatory deportation were dropped, the paper said. Galice is married to an American citizen.

A trial is scheduled to begin on June 22.



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