A federal grand jury has indicted Anibal Rios Lavias, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen originally from Mexico, on charges of naturalization fraud. The indictment claims that Lavias provided false information regarding his criminal activities when applying for U.S. citizenship.
Court documents allege that Lavias made false statements under oath during a naturalization interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS). He reportedly denied involvement in any forced sexual contact or other crimes not resulting in arrest. Despite these denials, Lavias was granted citizenship on May 4, 2018.
On March 19, 2024, Lavias pleaded guilty to five counts of statutory sexual offense with a child by an adult in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Alamance County. He received a prison sentence ranging from 300 to 420 months and was ordered to register as a sex offender. The offenses occurred between February 25, 2018, and February 26, 2023, involving a victim who was five years old at the time the abuse began. His arrest took place after he had already become a naturalized citizen.
Lavias now faces two counts of naturalization fraud. A conviction could result in up to 20 years in prison and automatic revocation of his U.S. citizenship.
The announcement came from Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The case is being investigated by officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division as part of Operation False Haven—an initiative targeting individuals who fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship through egregious felonies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is handling the prosecution.
Further details can be accessed via the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or through PACER using Case No. 5:25-cr-00152-BO-RJ.
