On March 13, 2025, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont reported that Chad Maurer, a 34-year-old from New York, had been indicted by a federal grand jury for charges of aggravated identity theft and the use of a false passport.
Chad Maurer entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment on May 2, 2025, presided over by United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Before this, Maurer was arrested in the Scranton, Pennsylvania area on April 11, 2025, and was detained following a hearing in the Middle District of Pennsylvania on April 17, 2025.
The United States Attorney’s Office clarified that an indictment consists only of allegations and that Maurer remains innocent until proven guilty. If Maurer is found guilty of using a false passport, he may face up to ten years in prison. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years. The final sentence will be determined by the District Court, with instruction from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher recognized the efforts of the Diplomatic Security Service and the United States Marshals Service in the investigation. The prosecutor for the case is Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Arra, and Maurer is being represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls.
