April 11, 2007

Illegal alien indicted for making false statements in an application for U.S. passport and unlawful re-entry

BOSTON - An illegal alien residing in Lawrence was arraigned yesterday in federal court on an indictment charging him with making false statements on an application for a U.S Passport and unlawfully re-entering the United States after having been deported.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; James Ennis, special agent-in-charge of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service in New England; Christopher Tremann, resident agent-in-charge of the Resident Office of Diplomatic Security Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Office of Investigations in Boston; and Jeff Paula, special agent in charge of the U.S. Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, announced that Juan Antonio Hernandez, a/k/a Jose Miguel Cuevas Rivera, a/k/a Jose Cuevas Rivera, 42, of 76 East Haverhill Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts, was charged in a two-count indictment with making false statements in an application for a U.S. Passport and unlawful re-entry of a deported alien.

According to the Indictment on May 22, 2006, Hernandez made false statements on an application for a U.S. Passport, whereby he falsely represented that he was a U.S. citizen. The Indictment further alleges that Hernandez, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, unlawfully re-entered the United States after having been deported on August 13, 1999.

Hernandez was arraigned yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler, and was ordered held without bail pending trial.

If convicted, Hernandez faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment on the False Statements charge and 20 years imprisonment on the unlawful re-entry charge, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Upon completion of any prison sentence imposed Hernandez also faces deportation to his native Dominican Republic.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security Service, ICE, and the U.S. Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antoinette E.M. Leoney in Sullivan's Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting it.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

-- 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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