Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A Guatemalan citizen, Cindy Fabiola Santos-Perez, was sentenced to 109 days in federal prison for unlawfully using a social security card. The sentencing took place in Cedar Rapids, with United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams presiding. Santos-Perez pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful use of an identification document.
According to the plea agreement, Santos-Perez used a fraudulent social security card on two occasions—December 15, 2020, and April 13, 2021—to prove her authorization to work in the United States. On May 17, 2022, she also falsely represented a social security number as her own with intent to deceive.
Following her prison term, Santos-Perez will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice that aims to address illegal immigration and eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts involving several law enforcement agencies.
Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake prosecuted the case. The investigation involved the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Postville Police Department.
