An Akron man was charged in federal court related to failing to disclose his involvement in a military unit engaged in war crimes in the former Yugoslavia, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Ilija Josipovic, 59, was charged in a two-count criminal information with possession of immigration documents procured by fraud.
Josipovic, on Feb. 1, 2012, possessed a Permanent Resident Card in his name, which he knew to be procured by means of a false claim and statement while obtaining an Ohio driver’s license at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles office 7744, located at 1030 East Tallmadge Avenue in Akron, according to the information.
Josipovic, on Sept. 10, 2014, he possessed a Permanent Resident Card in his name, which he knew to be procured by means of a false claim and statement while at his residence in Akron, according to the information.
In 2002, Josipovic omitted or failed to disclose his military service in the 6th Battalion, Zvornik Infantry Brigade, Army of the Republic of Srpska, which began around May 25, 1992 and continued until approximately 1996, according to the information.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Dept. of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason M. Katz.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
