BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a four-count indictment charging Mamadou Gando Balde a/k/a Thierno O. Ba, 51, a citizen of the West African nation of Guinea currently residing in Lackawanna, NY, with attempted unlawful procurement of naturalization, making false statements in a naturalization proceeding, and making a false statement to federal law enforcement officers. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey T. Fiut, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on Aug. 20, 2018, the defendant knowingly made false statements on his Form N-400 Application for Naturalization, the form used to apply for U.S. citizenship. Specifically, Balde omitted the name “Thierno O. Ba" when asked to list other names he has used since birth. The defendant is also accused of falsely responding “no" when asked “Have you EVER given any U.S. Government officials any information or documentation that was false, fraudulent, or misleading?," and “Have you EVER lied to any U.S. Government officials to gain entry or admission into the United States or to gain immigration benefits while in the United States?" The indictment states that Balde gave U.S. Government officials information and documentation that was false regarding his identity and lied to U.S. Government officials about his identity to gain entry and admission into the United States and to gain immigration benefits while in the United States.
The defendant was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on conditions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. #
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
