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Department of Justice Acting United States Attorney Candace G. Hill Contact: Dawn Masden |
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June 23, 2009
ILLEGAL ALIEN PLEADS GUILTY TO CHARGES OF CONSPIRACY TO PRODUCE AND DISTRIBUTE FALSE DOCUMENTS
LOUISVILLE, KY - Juan Manuel Calderon-Santana, age 34, a Mexican national illegally present within the United States, entered a plea of guilty on June 22, 2009, to charges of conspiracy to possess a document making implements and false identification documents (including permanent resident cards and Social Security cards) with the intent to transfer them unlawfully Acting United States Attorney Candace G. Hill of the Western District of Kentucky announced today.
Pursuant to an open plea, Calderon-Santana admitted that he was a member of an organized conspiracy to produce and sell false identification documents. The organization would reach customers by soliciting individuals going in and out of Louisville area businesses including Mexican grocery stores and restaurants. Members of the conspiracy would hand out business cards bearing a name and a telephone number. The business cards provided contact information for obtaining false documents. After being contacted by a customer, a member of the conspiracy would produce the desired documents and then have another member deliver the false documents to the customer. On November 12, 2008, Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) purchased a false social security card and Naturalization Service Resident Alien Card. On December 8, 2008, an undercover Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officer purchased a false social security card and Naturalization Service Resident Alien Card. On December 10, 2008, ICE and LMPD executed a search warrant on the defendants' residence and recovered a commercial grade printer, supplies for mass producing of false documents, and business records detailing the conspiracy's sale of false documents by individual members. Based upon the records and ledgers recovered, ICE agents estimate that the organization was collecting approximately $1,500 a day for the false documents being sold. Calderon-Santana admitted that he had arrived at the residence from North Carolina the day before the search warrant and it was his intent to work for the organization by selling false documents in the metro Louisville area. All of the defendants, except for Yandel De La O-Cruz, a/k/a Canales, who was not present at the residence, were arrested during the execution of the search warrant. A federal warrant of arrest remains outstanding for Yandel De La O-cruz, a/k/a Canales. The remaining co-defendants, Salvador Alvarado-Aguirre, Christian Fuentes-Alvarado, a/k/a Chavi, Gabriel, Age 27, Figueroa-Meza, a/k/a Sergio Lopez-Perez, a/k/a Antonio S. Martinez, a/k/a Jose Moreno-Pina, a/k/a Tio, Age 47, and Arturo Gonzalez-Ramos, age 25, are scheduled for trial on July 21, 2009.
The maximum potential penalties are no more than 70 years’ imprisonment, a $1,250,000 fine, and supervised release for a period of 3 years. There is no parole in the federal judicial system.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mac Shannon, and it was investigated by Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Louisville Metro Police (LMPD).
Calderon-Santana is scheduled to appear for sentencing before United States District Judge Jennifer B. Coffman on September 21, 2009 at 1:00 p.m., in Louisville, Kentucky.
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