Nicaraguan Citizen Sentenced for Possessing Fraudulent Immigration Documents

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Nicaraguan citizen charged with Possession of Fraudulent Immigration Documents was sentenced on January 4, 2012, by United States District Judge Roberto A. Lange. Santos Cruz Pastrana, age 38, was sentenced to 90 days in custody and a $100 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.

Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 18, 2011. Santos Cruz Pastrana provided his employer with a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card and Employment Authorization Card in September 2009. Prior to 2006, Cruz Pastrana had been issued an Employment Authorization Card. However, in 2006 his application was denied. Therefore, Cruz Pastrana did not have a valid Employment Authorization Card during that time. The Permanent Resident Card was also fraudulent in that he had never been issued one. He pled guilty to Possession of Fraudulent Immigration Documents on December 7, 2011.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.

Cruz was immediately turned over to the custody of the United States Marshal to begin serving his sentence.