3 Years Imprisonment For Passport Fraud

Steven M. Biskupic, United States Attorney
Eastern District of Wisconsin

Green Bay Man Sentenced to Three Years In Federal Prison for Passport Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

United States Attorney Steven M. Biskupic announced that Bernard Leon Beyer, of Green Bay, WI, was sentenced today by the Honorable William C. Griesebach, United States District Court Judge, Green Bay Division. Judge Griesbach sentenced Beyer to 3 years in federal prison: 12 months for committing passport fraud and 24 months for aggravated identity theft, with the two sentences to run consecutively. Beyer was also fined $1,500, and he must serve three years of supervised release upon release from prison.

Beyer was prosecuted for fraudulently obtaining a certified copy of the birth certificate of Washington State man who has the same first and last names as Beyer, but a different middle name. Beyer used the birth certificate and a fraudulently-obtained State of Wisconsin driver's license to apply for a United States passport in the Washington State man’s identity.

The U.S. State Department issues all United States passports and scrutinizes applications for evidence of fraud during processing and issuance. If fraud is suspected, cases are referred to the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) for investigation. In this case, the State Department discovered that a passport had already been issued in the Washington State man’s identity, and that the photograph of the defendant Beyer did not match the photo from the original passport.

“"No one wins in passport fraud crimes, and there are formidable consequences in aggravated identity theft,” said Kurt Rice, Chicago Field Office Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. State Department’s DSS. “Diplomatic Security is firmly committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies around the world to investigate allegations of passport fraud, and bring those who commit these crimes to justice.”

The case was investigated by the Diplomatic Security Service, with assistance from the Green Bay Police Department and the Ashwaubenon Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorney Tammy Jo Hock.

Contact:
Darby G. Holladay
571-345-2507
Holladaydg@state.gov

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tammy Jo Hock
920-884-1066

First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Jacobs
414-297-1700