Mexican National Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Stealing Deceased Child's Identity
From the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas:
HOUSTON – Jesus Duenas-Barajas, 53, a Mexican National illegally residing in Houston, has been ordered to prison following his convictions of submitting a false statement on a U.S. passport application and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Duenas-Barajas pleaded guilty July 7, 2014.
Today, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Duenas-Barajas a total of 30 months in federal prison – 24 months for the aggravated identity theft and another six months for the false statement conviction. As an illegal alien, Duenas-Barajas is expected to face deportation proceedings following his release from prison.
On or about Feb. 10, 2012, Duenas-Barajas completed a DS-11 U.S. Passport application at the Westfield Post Office in Houston, using the identity of a boy who had died in 1978. On that application, he represented he was that person and provided the deceased victim’s date of birth, Social Security number and birth certificate.
Evidence indicates Duenas-Barajas had been using the deceased boy’s identity since as early as 1986. During that time, he had also been able to obtain a driver’s license using the deceased boy’s identifiers.
Duenas-Barajas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of State and Social Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Searle is prosecuting.
From the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas:
HOUSTON – Jesus Duenas-Barajas, 53, a Mexican National illegally residing in Houston, has been ordered to prison following his convictions of submitting a false statement on a U.S. passport application and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Duenas-Barajas pleaded guilty July 7, 2014.
Today, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Duenas-Barajas a total of 30 months in federal prison – 24 months for the aggravated identity theft and another six months for the false statement conviction. As an illegal alien, Duenas-Barajas is expected to face deportation proceedings following his release from prison.
On or about Feb. 10, 2012, Duenas-Barajas completed a DS-11 U.S. Passport application at the Westfield Post Office in Houston, using the identity of a boy who had died in 1978. On that application, he represented he was that person and provided the deceased victim’s date of birth, Social Security number and birth certificate.
Evidence indicates Duenas-Barajas had been using the deceased boy’s identity since as early as 1986. During that time, he had also been able to obtain a driver’s license using the deceased boy’s identifiers.
Duenas-Barajas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of State and Social Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Searle is prosecuting.