May 2, 2007

ICE nabs couple for making and selling fraudulent ID documents
Documents included fake alien registration and Social Security cards

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Immigration and Enforcement special agents have arrested two New York state residents for manufacturing and selling counterfeit alien registration cards and social security cards. Belkys Martinez and her spouse, George Dantz were arrested yesterday at their residence in Dansville.

Special agents from the ICE Office of Investigations in Buffalo developed information through a confidential source that the two were selling counterfeit documents. The two were arrested after selling a number of the counterfeit cards to undercover ICE agents.

Martinez and Dantz face three charges: violation of 18 USC Section 1028 manufacturing and selling counterfeit documents 18 USC Section 1546 manufacturing and selling counterfeit resident alien cards and 45 USC Section 408, manufacturing and selling counterfeit social security cards.

Making and selling counterfeit identity documents such as fake alien resident cards and social security cards or passports help illegal aliens, criminals and even terrorists evade detection and embed themselves in our society. Document fraud often supports the crime of immigration benefit fraud.

Both Martinez and Dantz appeared for the first time before a federal magistrate in Buffalo this afternoon. The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York is prosecuting the case.

-- 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.

  Last Modified: