FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Lauren Horwood
May 3, 2012	PHONE: (916) 554-2706
www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae	usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov

            FRESNO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury returned a 37-count indictment charging nine defendants with conspiracy to produce, transfer, possess, and sell false identification documents in Fresno, Tulare, and Madera Counties. Charged are Luis Mirabete-Pena, aka Junior, 23, of Fresno; Benjamin Aparacio-Pablo, 26, of Tulare; Othoniel Parra-Gallardo, 31, of Tulare; Felix Santiago-Matias, aka Freddy, 41, of Fresno; Marco Antonio Arias-Solis, 40, of Fresno; Jenny Thanh Nguyen, 55, of Clovis; Ubaldo Castillo-Hernandez, 41, of Ontario; Dalia Reyes-Serapio, 29, of Fresno; and Eretzandert Morales-Lozano, 26, of Tulare. They are scheduled to appear for arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila K. Oberto on Friday, May 4, 2012, at 1:30 p.m.

            According to the indictment, between January and April 2012, Mirabete-Pena, Aparacio-Pablo, and Parra-Gallardo produced false identification documents at various places. Santiago‑Matias, Arias-Solis, Morales-Lozano, and Nguyen delivered and sold the documents to customers. During the conspiracy, customers placed orders for false documents with a distributor or directly with Mirabete-Pena, Aparacio-Pena, and Parra-Gallardo. The distributors took photographs and biographical information from the customers. Mirabete-Pena, Aparacio-Pena and Parra-Gallardo used the information to produce fraudulent social security cards and alien registration cards, also known as “green cards.” The distributors then delivered the completed false documents to customers. During the course of the conspiracy, Castillo‑Hernandez, and Reyes-Serapio also assisted with document production and possessed document-making implements.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Ian Garriques is prosecuting the case.

            If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined after conviction at the discretion of the court following consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

            The charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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