BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted two undocumented aliens for providing counterfeit identification documents, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Resident Agent in Charge Jesse Blakeman.

The indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges ADALBERTO DE LA CRUZ-ANGELES, 42, a Mexican citizen, with two counts of transferring counterfeit Social Security and Permanent Resident cards, once in July and once in November. A third count charges DE LA CRUZ-ANGELES with illegally re-entering the United States after having been deported in May 2009.
                       
The indictment charges MARIO CESAR LESARDI-HERNANDEZ, 18, also of Mexico, with participating in the November counterfeit-document transfer.

“Counterfeit identification documents not only worsen immigration problems in this country by facilitating the breaking of our immigration laws, but they also can provide new identities for those who would do our country harm,” Vance said.

The charge of transferring counterfeit documents carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of illegally re-entering the United States after having been deported carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa K. Atwood is prosecuting the case.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

 

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