Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Orvil Perez-Jimenez, age 34, of Dundalk, Maryland to two years and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the transfer of false identification documents, the sale of citizenship documents, and aggravated identity theft.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Andrew Wroblewski of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)- Washington Office.
According to his guilty plea, from 2017 to March 2020, Perez-Jimenez obtained birth certificates and social security cards issued to real U.S. citizens, without those individuals’ knowledge or consent. He then sold these identification documents to alien clients living in the United States. Additionally, Perez-Jimenez sold fraudulent identification cards to the alien clients listing the victim citizens’ personal identifying information but displaying photos of his alien clients.
Specifically, in 2017, Perez-Jimenez agreed to sell birth certificates, social security cards, and false driver’s licenses to a married couple living in Maryland without lawful status to reside in the United States (Individual 1 and Individual 2) for $5,000. After directing the couple to produce two passport-sized photos of themselves, Perez-Jimenez fraudulently obtained the birth certificates and social security cards issued in the names of two real U.S. citizens residing in Puerto Rico. Perez-Jimenez also obtained fake Puerto Rican driver’s licenses listing the names of the two citizens but displaying the photos of Individual 1 and Individual 2, respectively.
Individual 1 and Individual 2 then used identity documents purchased from Perez-Jimenez to make false applications for U.S. passports, fraudulently obtain employment eligibility verification with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, open financial accounts, and obtain Maryland driver’s licenses in the names of the victims residing in Puerto Rico.
As stated in his plea agreement, on February 8, 2020, Perez-Jimenez informed an undercover DSS agent that he could provide a Puerto Rican birth certificate, driver’s license, and a social security card. On February 11, 2020, Perez-Jimenez asked the agent to provide his height, weight, hair color, skin color, and two passport-sized photos of himself, as well as $1,000 as a deposit. Perez-Jimenez and the DSS agent met two days later, and the agent provided Perez-Jimenez the information requested including the photos, and $1,000 in cash.
On March 12, 2020, Perez-Jimenez met with the agent in Baltimore, Maryland, provided him with the falsified identity documents and accepted an agreed upon final payment of $2,000 in cash. Perez-Jimenez was subsequently arrested. The identity documents included a birth certificate and social security card issued in the name of a real U.S. citizen residing in Puerto Rico, as well as a fake Puerto Rico driver’s license. The counterfeit driver’s license that Perez-Jimenez procured for the agent displayed the photo of the agent and the identifying information of the victim living in Puerto Rico.
During the search of Perez-Jimenez’s person, vehicle, and residence, law enforcement recovered an Internal Revenue Service Form W-2 in the victim’s name, a cell phone, and other documents and electronic devices.
Examination of the cell phone revealed communications between Perez-Jimenez and other persons about procuring identification documents, including discussions about obtaining passport-sized photos and physical descriptions for the purpose of creating fake driver’s licenses and photos of identification documents issued in a victim’s name.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DSS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Maddox, who prosecuted the case.
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