News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
Peter F. Neronha
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island

October 19, 2012

 

Irish National Pleads Guilty to Falsely Representing U.S. Citizenship When Applying for Rhode Island Identification Card

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Denis Quirke, 37, an Irish national, pleaded guilty in federal court today to falsely representing to the government that he was a U.S. citizen when he applied for a Rhode Island identification card from the R.I. Department of Motor Vehicles in December 2011, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha and Todd Ziccarelli, Special Agent in Charge of the New England field office of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Service.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Quirke admitted to the court that he misrepresented U.S. citizenship to the Department of Motor Vehicles when he presented the Social Security number of another person as proof of U.S. citizenship in an effort to gain a R.I. identification card.

Quirke, who faces up to eight years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000 when he is sentenced on January 25, 2013, pleaded guilty to one count each of false claim to United States citizenship and fraudulent use of a Social Security number.

The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Service.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard W. Rose and Zechariah Chafee.

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