A federal jury in Tampa has convicted Nidia Roxana Maradiaga-Flores, a 28-year-old Honduran national, on charges of aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number, and making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. Maradiaga-Flores faces up to 12 years in federal prison. Her sentencing is set for April 17, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe announced the conviction.
Testimony and evidence presented during the trial showed that Maradiaga-Flores applied for work at Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II, a construction company operating in Pinellas County. The company participates in E-Verify, an online system that helps employers confirm the eligibility of employees to work in the United States. According to court records, Maradiaga-Flores completed an I-9 form as part of this process on March 23, 2022. She falsely claimed U.S. citizenship and used another individual's identification information to bypass the E-Verify check.
Multiple agencies participated in the investigation, including Homeland Security Investigations; Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General; Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General; United States Border Patrol; Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General; Florida Department of Law Enforcement; and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler III and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
