SAN FRANCISCO - Over the past 18 months, ten Bay Area residents have been charged with federal passport offenses, United States Attorney Melinda Haag and Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent in Charge Dean K. Shear announced.
The individuals are part of more than 225 Bay Area residents who have been charged with or prosecuted for false passport offenses since 2007. According to court records and proceedings, the following 10 defendants all misrepresented their identity on applications for United States passports or committed related offenses in violation of either 18 U.S.C. § 1542, false statement in application for a passport, or 18 U.S.C. § 1028, fraud in connection with identification documents:
Ricardo Montano of San Jose, Calif., is alleged to have applied for a passport using another person’s birth certificate. Montano eluded arrest in September 2011, and remains a fugitive.
Xeres Mari Luciano Garcia Anicete II of San Francisco, Calif., was convicted of possessing a false identification document when he applied for a passport. Anicete II was sentenced to 24 days of imprisonment on Sept. 30, 2011.
Erik Alan Murphy of San Francisco, Calif., was convicted of possessing a false identification document when he applied for a passport. Murphy was sentenced to 30 days of imprisonment on Jan. 27, 2012.
Luse Lilomaiava of San Francisco, Calif., was convicted of possessing a false identification document when she applied for a passport. Lilomaiava was sentenced to three years of probation on July 26, 2012.
Mikhail Nijjar of Oakland, Calif., was convicted of applying for a passport using another person’s name. Nijjar was sentenced to approximately four and one-half months of imprisonment on Aug. 29, 2012.
Marco Matute of San Francisco, Calif., was convicted of attempting to possess a false passport. Matute was sentenced to approximately two and one-half months of imprisonment on September 6, 2012.
Ruben Reyes Diaz of Oakland, Calif, was convicted of possessing a false identification document when he applied for a passport. Diaz was sentenced to approximately 50 days of imprisonment on Feb. 20, 2013.
Richard Emmett Monroe of Santa Rosa, Calif., is alleged to have applied for a passport using another person’s name. Monroe was charged by a felony criminal complaint on Jan. 11, 2013, and is currently in the custody of the Sonoma County Sheriff.
Manuel Sanchez of Salinas, Calif., was convicted of possessing a false identification document when he applied for a passport. Sanchez was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment on March 14, 2013.
Quentin Chiang of San Jose, Calif., is alleged to have applied for a passport using another person’s name. A Federal grand jury in San Jose returned an indictment against Chiang on March 13, 2013. Chiang is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals while his case proceeds.
The prosecutions are the result of ongoing investigations by DSS.
Anyone with information about false or fraudulently issued passports or entry visas, or the whereabouts of the above fugitives, is encouraged to contact Diplomatic Security Service at (415) 705-1176.
Please note: Charges described in this document contain only allegations against defendants who must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
