FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               CONTACT:  DAVILYN WALSTON
THURSDAY, JULY 10, 2008                                                 PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/TXE                          PHONE: (409) 839-2538 CELL: (409) 553-9881
                                                                                                    

NINETEEN GUILTY OF MISUSING SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS

(TYLER, TX)   United States Attorney Rebecca A. Gregory announced today that nineteen individuals from the Mt. Pleasant area have pleaded guilty to misuse of Social Security Account numbers in the Eastern District of Texas.  Each entered his guilty plea today before United States District Judge David Folsom. 

            Those entering pleas included:  Ana Alvarez; Juan Mata; Juana Banda; Juana Canao-Urdaz; Juan Canada; Miguel Cordova; Pedro Pulquero-Perez; Bernardo Nava-Gomez; Balbina Barajas; Rafael Fernando; Maria Antonia Romero; Sara Garcia; Joaquin Hipolito; Leonardo Paloblanco; Jose Cruz; Omar Robles; Rafael Gomez; Carmela Vargas; and Rosauro Moran-Rodriguez. 

            According to information presented in court, each of the individuals presented a Social Security Account card to Pilgrim's Pride Corporation for the purpose of obtaining and maintaining employment.  In each case, the individual knew that the number presented was not the Social Security Account number assigned to that individual.

            Each defendant was also sentenced to a sentence of imprisonment equal to time already served and released to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

            In addition, Cecilia Perez-Lazaro pleaded guilty to a one-count information alleging entry into the United States without inspection.  She received a sentence equal to time already served and released to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

            In a related case, German Yepez-Guzman was sentenced to time already served on a charge of conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with identification documents. Evidence introduced at Yepez-Guzman’s plea indicated that he was involved with others selling false identification documents to be used by aliens in the state illegally to assist in gaining employment, including such documents as Social Security Account cards and birth certificates.

            The United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigated this case.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan R. Jackson.

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