Utica Woman Pleads Guilty To Marriage Fraud

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Emina Baltic, 27, of Utica, New York, pled guilty today in federal court in Syracuse to marriage fraud, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Brian Devine, Resident Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Syracuse, New York.

As part of her guilty plea, Baltic admitted that she married a citizen of Serbia on December 22, 2011, for the purpose of assisting him in obtaining permanent residency in the United States. Baltic further admitted that she never intended to establish a life with her husband and that she was paid more than $17,000 for entering into the fraudulent marriage.

Emina Baltic will be sentenced on June 17, 2016 in federal court in Syracuse by Chief District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. She faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a judge based upon the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case was investigated by HSI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.