ALBANY, NEW YORK - Mary Opoka, age 56, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to 3 years of probation following a jury conviction for marriage fraud.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and James C. Spero, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The sentence was issued by Senior United States District Court Judge Thomas J. McAvoy and followed a one-week trial in November 2015. As part of the sentence, Opoka must also complete 150 hours of community service.
The evidence at trial established that in October 2011, Opoka, a U.S. citizen, married Gaurav Mehta, in Troy. At the time Gaurav Mehta was an alien unlawfully present in the United States. The fraudulent marriage was designed to enable Gaurav Mehta to stay in the United States as a spouse of a U.S citizen.
Opoka was tried and found guilty along with Gaurav Mehta, age 36, and Isha Mehta, also known as Isha Kamboj, also known as Isha Johnson, age 33. The Mehtas are citizens of India. Yesterday, Judge McAvoy sentenced each of them to 3 years of probation and payment of a $2,000 fine, following their jury convictions for marriage fraud and immigration fraud.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
