November 07, 2007

5 Kansas City federal building workers indicted for using false social security numbers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Five employees of a firm that contracts to operate the cafeteria at the Richard Bolling Federal Building were indicted today, in separate and unrelated cases, on charges related to using false Social Security numbers in order to gain employment. U.S. Attorney John F. Wood, Western District of Missouri, announced the indictments; the case was investigated by the Federal Protective Service, which is a program under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Nilda A. Franco, 36, and Fania L. Garza, 27, both citizens of Guatemala residing in Kansas City, Kan., and Felipe Carreon, 29, Luis A. Carreon, 31, and Francisco J. Munoz-Carmona, 33, all citizens of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a series of indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City.

Each of the five defendants was employed by Aramark Services, the contractor that operates the cafeteria in the federal office building at 601 E. 12th St., Kansas City, Mo. Franco formerly worked in various positions before leaving employment with Aramark about a year ago; Garza, Felipe Carreon and Luis Carreon worked as cooks; Munoz-Carmona worked as a dishwasher.

Today's indictments charge each defendant with Social Security number fraud, identity theft, and making false statements to the government.

The indictments allege that the defendants committed Social Security number fraud by falsely representing Social Security account numbers to be their own. The indictments allege that they committed identity theft by using counterfeit Social Security cards and counterfeit U.S. permanent resident alien cards - with Social Security account numbers and alien registration numbers that were assigned to other persons - in order to conceal their status as illegal aliens.

A federal indictment alleges that Franco made false statements to the government in December 2005, when she completed and signed the U.S. Federal Protective Service Statement of Personal History for Contract and Childcare Personnel, in which she falsely claimed a Social Security account number and alien registration number belonged to her. Garza, Felipe Carreon, Luis Carreon and Munoz-Carmona allegedly made false statements to the government in August or September 2007, when they completed and signed the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions, in which they falsely claimed certain Social Security account numbers and alien registration numbers belonged to them.

In addition, Garza and Munoz-Carmona were charged with an additional count of making false statements to the government. According to the indictments, Garza and Munoz-Carmona completed and signed U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9s, in which they falsely claimed certain Social Security numbers and alien registration numbers belonged to them. Garza also falsely claimed to be a U.S. permanent resident.

Wood cautioned that the charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

These cases are being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard N. Staples, Western District of Missouri. They were investigated by the Federal Protective Service and the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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