BOSTON - A Dominican national illegally residing in the United States using false identities pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to passport fraud.
Alejandro Valera, 40, a Dominican national residing in Mattapan, pleaded guilty to knowingly making false statements in applying for a U.S. passport. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Nov. 13, 2018.
On Nov. 10, 2011, Valera, who, according to court records, has a lengthy criminal record, used the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico to submit a fraudulent application for a passport. He also falsely stated that he had never used any other names or previously applied for a passport, yet, in 2002, Valera unsuccessfully applied for a passport using the same false identity.
Valera faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office; and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Merritt of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
