Mexican Man Indicted for False Claim to U.S. Citizenship, False Statement in Application for a Passport, and Aggravated Identity Theft

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Arturo Perez Ramirez, age 33, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury for False Claim to U.S. Citizenship, making a False Statement in Application for Passport, and Aggravated Identity Theft. 

According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Perez Ramirez applied for a U.S. Passport using the name, date of birth, place of birth, and social security number of another person to represent that he was a U.S. Citizen.  It is further alleged that in furtherance of that offense, Perez Ramirez utilized multiple means of identification of another actual person, including a state issued identification card and birth certificate.

The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DOS-DSS) and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations.  All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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