Local Lawyer Pleads Guilty To Felony Offense

Defendant Admitted Committing Perjury in Relation to a Bankruptcy Proceeding

DALLAS — Aaron Rene Ramirez, 43, of Plano, Texas, appeared this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez and pleaded guilty to an indictment charging one count of making a false statement under penalty of perjury, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

According to documents filed in the case, in January 2009, Ramirez filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 13 of Title 11 in which he forged the signature of the listed debtor.  He also falsely represented to the Court that the listed debtor had signed and authorized the filing of the petition and other bankruptcy related documents when he well knew that the petition was completely fraudulent and that the listed debtor did not authorize, nor have any knowledge of, the petition’s filing.

Aaron Ramirez faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.  He will remain on bond pending sentencing, for which a date has not yet been set.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Jarvis is in charge of the prosecution.