Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
Francisco Soares, a 56-year-old resident of Foxborough, was charged on April 29 with impersonating a federal immigration officer and arrested the following day, according to an announcement made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England on May 6.
The case is significant because it involves allegations that Soares falsely claimed to work for U.S. Immigration and offered assistance to Brazilian nationals seeking U.S. citizenship in exchange for money. The complaint alleges that Soares took thousands of dollars from his victims despite never having worked for the U.S. government.
According to the charging documents, "Soares told various Brazilian nationals that he worked for U.S. Immigration and that for a price, he could provide the individuals assistance with obtaining U.S. citizenship." He was released on conditions after an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on May 1.
This is not the first time Soares has faced such charges; he was previously convicted in 2015 of impersonating a federal officer by the U.S. District Court in Boston and sentenced to three years probation, twelve months home confinement, as well as ordered to pay fines and restitution.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment, one year supervised release, and up to $250,000 fine if convicted beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin from the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting this case. "The details contained in the charging documents are allegations," said officials from the office of United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; "the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law." The office handles prosecutions of federal crimes including national security threats and civil rights violations across Massachusetts through facilities at multiple locations including Boston's John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse according to the official website.
