United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

FEDERAL GRAND JURY CHARGES SIX LOCAL MEN
IN COUNTERFEIT DOCUMENT MILL CONSPIRACY

DALLAS — A federal grand jury in Dallas returned an indictment this week charging six men from the Dallas/Fort Worth area with conspiracy and various other charges related to their operation of a counterfeit document mill at locations in Dallas, Garland and Rowlett, Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper, of the Northern District of Texas.

The six defendants charged in the indictment are Gregorio Hurtado, 37; Marco Govea Castaneda, 21; Jonathan Meneses Gutierrez, 26; Hector Alvarez-Sanchez, 43; Aldo Gutierrez; and Leopoldo Hurtado. Gregorio and Leopoldo Hurtado, as well as Marco Govea Castaneda, are residents of Rowlett, Texas.

According to the affidavit filed in a criminal complaint in May 2007, defendant Leopoldo Hurtado was arrested in April for immigration violations and state charges involving the production of fake Texas drivers’ licenses. That complaint charged Leopoldo Hurtado with possession of forged and counterfeit alien registration receipt cards. He is presently in federal custody. Defendants Marcos Govea Castaneda, Jonathan Meneses Gutierrez and Hector Alvarez-Sanchez were arrested on state felony warrants in April and are presently in state custody. Defendants Gregorio Hurtado and Aldo Gutierrez are at large. All six defendants are in the United States illegally.

According to the indictment, from March 8, 2007 to April 12, 2007, the defendants conspired together to forge, counterfeit, alter, and falsely make documents for entry into, or as evidence of, authorized stay or employment in the United States, such as, alien registration receipt cards, Texas driver’s licenses, and Social Security cards. They then sold these false documents for various sums of cash.

In a separate indictment, also returned yesterday, defendant Jose Angel Hurtado, 33 of Rowlett, Texas, is charged with three counts of fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents. If convicted, he faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Jose Angel Hurtado is also in the country illegally and is presently in state custody.

All six defendants listed above are charged with conspiracy to possess, produce, and transfer false identification documents; forge, counterfeit and falsely make immigration documents and possess document-making implements. The maximum statutory penalty for this count is 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, upon conviction.

All six defendants are also each charged with: one count of unlawful production of false identification documents; one count of unlawful possession of false identification documents with intent to use and transfer unlawfully; and one count of unlawful possession of document-making implements to produce false identification documents. Each of these offenses, upon conviction, carries a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

In addition, all six defendants are charged with fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, which carries a maximum statutory sentence, upon conviction, of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Defendant Leopoldo Hurtado is charged with an additional count of this violation.

Aldo Gutierrez, Jonathan Meneses Gutierrez, Hector Alvarez-Sanchez and Marcos Govea-Castaneda are each charged with one count of unlawful transfer of false identification documents, which carries a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, upon conviction.

An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); the Dallas ICE Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force which includes the Garland Police Department, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Dallas County Hospital District Police Department; and the Dallas and Rowlett, Texas, Police Departments. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Juan Carlos Rodriguez.

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