Press Release
HOLLYWOOD MAN SENTENCED ON CHARGES OF IMPERSONATING AN ICE SPECIAL AGENT
October 28, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Steven J. Mocsary, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Office of Professional Responsibility (ICE-OPR), announced today that defendant Jerry Nazim Ali, 51, of Hollywood, FL, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William Zloch to 36 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Ali previously pled guilty to one count of impersonating an ICE special agent, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 912.
According to statements made in court at today's hearing and at Ali’s change of plea hearing, Ali held himself out to a Broward County restaurant owner as an ICE Special Agent and offered to expedite the immigration process for the restaurant owner’s fiancee, in exchange for cash. The owner paid Ali the money, but later found that no documents had been filed with ICE on behalf of his fiancee.
Based on this information, in late 2009l ICE-OPR special agents conducted an undercover investigation of Ali. During the investigation Ali agreed to provide the undercover agent with work authorization permits and permanent resident cards for eight illegal aliens, for $10,000. As well, the investigation revealed that Ali had been employed as an INS Immigration Inspector in New York in the 1990's.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman stated, “This case combines two crimes: immigration fraud and false personation of a federal law enforcement officer. This double-whammy crime has cost the defendant his freedom; he will spend the next 3 years in jail.”
“False impersonation of a federal agent poses a threat to public safety and will not be tolerated,” said Steven J. Mocsary, Special Agent in Charge of ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility. “ICE-OPR will continue to criminally investigate and charge individuals who have impersonated ICE agents or officers and will continue to aggressively pursue those who would exploit immigrant communities for their own self interests.”
Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of ICE-OPR for their work on this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Katz.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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