Omaha Man Sentenced For Manufacturing Counterfeit Identification Documents

United States Attorney, Deborah R. Gilg, announced that Faustino Suastegui-Villalva, 49, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp to a total of 54 months in federal prison for his role in the production of counterfeit identification documents. Saustegui, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested on October 22, 2014, after a criminal complaint had been filed against him charging him with possessing five or more counterfeit Social Security cards with the intent to sell them. On November 18, 2014, Suastegui was charged in a superseding indictment with conspiring with Fernando Nevarez-Carreon to manufacture and sell counterfeit Social Security cards. Federal agents had purchased counterfeit Social Security cards and other identification documents on July 16, 2014, July 23, 2014, and September 11, 2014. The investigation of Nevarez-Carreon lead to the presence of Suastegui. Federal agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Suastegui and seized equipment used in the manufacturing operation including various computers on which images of counterfeit identification documents were located. The computer equipment contained over one-hundred fraudulent counterfeit identification documents.

Suastegui was sentenced to 30 months in prison upon his conviction on the conspiracy charge and for a charge of unlawfully transferring identification documents. Judge Smith Camp ordered that he serve an additional 24 months consecutive to the original 30 months for his conviction on the aggravated identity theft charge. After completing his 54 month combined prison sentence, Suastegui will be deported back to his home country of Mexico.

Nevarez-Carreon is scheduled to be sentenced for his role in the case on June 29, 2015.

The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and by agents with the Department of Homeland Security.