Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
An 18-year-old Honduran citizen, Elger Fabricio Cotto-Navarro, has admitted to making false statements in a juvenile immigration case. This was announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On February 2, Cotto-Navarro attempted to enter the United States near Roma, claiming to be an unaccompanied minor. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is responsible for the care of unaccompanied alien children without lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the country able to provide care. Consequently, Cotto-Navarro was placed in a facility designated for such children.
Cotto-Navarro initially identified himself as a minor with a birth date of May 2007 to his case manager. However, investigations revealed he was actually an adult posing as a minor. Despite denying the allegations and providing a written statement asserting his juvenile status, he later acknowledged being born in 2006 and thus being an adult. He admitted to submitting false statements regarding his age while in DHHS custody.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. will impose sentencing on June 17, where Cotto-Navarro faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible maximum fine of $250,000. He will remain in custody until that hearing.
The investigation was conducted by DHHS-Office of Inspector General, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Marian prosecuting the case.
