ATLANTA - Hakeem Omar has been sentenced on charges arising out of a scheme to bribe an immigration official.
“Many dream of obtaining their United States citizenship and pursue that dream lawfully," said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “This defendant attempted to subvert the immigration process by offering bribes to a federal agent. Now, after paying thousands of dollars in bribes, he is headed to prison and has been stripped of his fraudulently obtained citizenship."
“Quite simply, America's immigration system is not for sale," said David P. D’Amato, special agent in charge of ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) for the Southeast Region. "OPR works closely with partners like the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure that those who seek to compromise the integrity of our nation's legal immigration system pay a price for their crimes."
According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: Beginning in September 2010, and continuing until at least July 2012, Omar and co-defendant Ibrahim Barrie paid a series of bribes to a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security who was working undercover. Over a two-year period, Omar paid thousands of dollars to the undercover special agent for what he believed was assistance with his immigration status in the United States, including obtaining United States citizenship through naturalization.
Hakeem Omar, 31, of Atlanta, Ga., was sentenced by United States District Judge Steve C. Jones to two years in federal prison and was stripped of his fraudulently obtained United States citizenship. He will serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and will be turned over to a duly-authorized immigration official for appropriate removal proceedings.
Omar is the second conspirator to be sentenced in this case. On Oct. 21, 2013, co-conspirator Ibrahim Barrie, 32, of Atlanta, Ga., was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Upon completion of his sentence, Barrie will be turned over to a duly-authorized immigration official for appropriate removal proceedings.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Skye Davis prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
