United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

NEW BRITAIN RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY TO PASSPORT FRAUD CHARGE

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that LUIS RAMON FRANCISCO, 40, of a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing on Allen Street in New Britain, pleaded guilty yesterday, August 30, before Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to one count of making a false application for a United States passport.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 27, 1999, FRANCISCO, who at the time was a lawful permanent resident of the United States, falsely applied for a United States passport using the identity of another individual at a United States Post Office in Hartford.

Judge Burns has scheduled sentencing for November 18, 2010, at which time FRANCISCO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

FRANCISCO has been detained since his arrest in August 2009.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, Fraud Detection and National Security; and the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov