Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced Martin Landeros-Hernandez, a/k/a “Calce,” age 28, a Mexican citizen present in the United States illegally, today to 54 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Landeros-Hernandez will be deported from the United States after serving his prison term.

According to his guilty plea, Landeros-Hernandez created and distributed dozens of sets of false documents per week, and well over 100 sets of documents each year for several years, in the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan areas. The sets of documents usually consisted of a false social security card, a permanent resident or resident alien card, and sometimes a driver’s license. The sets of documents were sold for $80 to $150, mostly to aliens who are not legally in the United States. Social security numbers were sometimes supplied by the customer, and sometimes randomly selected. Some of these social security numbers had been assigned to real individuals.

Landeros-Hernandez created the false identification cards at his Hyattsville apartment using a computer and printer. Other individuals assisted him in the scheme, including his wife, Esperanza Esqueda-Suarez, who is also a Mexican citizen present in the United States illegally.

Landeros-Hernandez’s apartment was searched on November 2, 2007. The computer and scanner/printer/copier used in the manufacture of the fake documents were seized, along with plastic laminates, financial documents, numerous fake resident alien, employment authorization, social security cards, and state identification and driver’s licenses. Landeros-Hernandez had used a fake employment authorization card that bore an alien registration number of a Guatemalan national, and a social security number assigned to another individual.

Esperanza Esqueda-Suarez, age 26, who acted as a messenger in this scheme, previously pled guilty to the same offense. Judge Messitte sentenced her on July 24, 2008 to eight months and 19 days in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney Tamera L. Fine, who prosecuted the case.