Jose Luis Rodriguez, a citizen of the Dominican Republic living unlawfully in the United States, pleaded guilty on April 28 before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to charges of passport fraud and identity theft.
Rodriguez admitted to using a false identity for several years, including obtaining a Connecticut driver's license under another person's name and later applying for and receiving a U.S. passport with that stolen identity. The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address document fraud and protect personal identities.
According to court documents, the investigation began when an individual recently released from prison applied for a state identification card at the Waterbury Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office in June 2025. DMV officials discovered that someone else had been using his identity since 2001. Investigators found that Rodriguez had assumed this person's identity, resulting in two separate FBI fingerprint profiles under one name and arrest records showing Rodriguez posing as the victim.
On March 5, 2020, Rodriguez used the victim's personal information to apply for a U.S. passport in Waterbury, which he then used for travel and identification purposes. He was arrested on December 30, 2025 after submitting the fraudulent passport to federal authorities while claiming U.S. citizenship.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of using a passport secured by false statements—an offense carrying up to ten years' imprisonment—and one count of aggravated identity theft—which carries an additional mandatory two-year sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for July 27; Rodriguez remains detained pending sentencing.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service with help from Connecticut DMV and Waterbury Police Department; Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative involving full resources from the Department of Justice targeting illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations.
The Office of United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut serves all residents across Connecticut according to its official website. The office prosecutes federal crimes and manages civil cases on behalf of the government within this district according to its official website. It employs about 68 assistant attorneys along with support staff at locations in New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport according to its official website. Established in 1789 as one of America's oldest prosecutorial offices according to its official website, it also advances justice initiatives aimed at improving quality-of-life issues statewide according to its official website.
