A man who presented false identification documentation and who was in possession of false documents was sentenced today to over four months in federal prison.
Lino Suastegui-Leon, age 49, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 12, 2022 guilty plea to the unlawful use of an identification document, misuse of a social security number, and unlawful possession of an identification document.
At the guilty plea, Suastegui-Leon admitted that on Oct. 19, 2020, he knowingly used a social security number which had been unlawfully obtained. He also admitted that on April 1, 2022, he possessed a social security card bearing someone else’s name and social security number.
Suastegui-Leon was located at the Tama County, Iowa, treasurer’s office in possession of a variety of false documents, including a social security card and bank cards in the name of his alias. He also had a true copy of a Puerto Rican birth certificate. The investigation revealed he used the social security number and an out of state driver’s license to obtain employment in Iowa.
Suastegui-Leon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Judge C.J. Williams. Suastegui-Leon was sentenced to four months and four days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Suastegui-Leon is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Dupuich and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-cr-29.
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Source: USAO - Iowa, Northern
