BOSTON - A Dominican national was indicted today in federal court in Boston in connection with making false statements in an application for a replacement Social Security card and aggravated identity theft.
Francis Yohan Mateo Guerrero, 29, a Dominican national formerly residing in Lawrence, was indicted on one count of making a materially false statement and one count of aggravated identity theft. Mateo Guerrero was previously charged by complaint and arrested on Aug. 22, 2018, and has been in custody since.
According to charging documents, in August 2017, Mateo Guerrero applied for a replacement Social Security card by submitting the name of a U.S. Citizen from Puerto Rico. As proof of identity to support his application, Mateo Guerrero provided a Massachusetts Driver’s License in the name of a U.S. Citizen from Puerto Rico as his own.
The charge of making materially false statements provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
