Alien Indicted on Misuse of a Social Security Account Number, False Claim of Citizenship With Intent to Engage Unlawfully in Employment in the United States, and Aggravated Identity Theft

RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an indictment charging DIEGO ISIDRO CHAJ-RAMOS, age 38, of Guatemala, with Misuse of a Social Security Account Number, False Claim of United States Citizenship with Intent to Engage Unlawfully in Employment in the United States, and Aggravated Identity Theft.

According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, Homeland Security agents obtained copies of several I-9 Forms revealing CHAJ-RAMOS falsely represented himself to be a United States citizen and provided multiple employers the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a United States citizen in order to qualify for employment in the Eastern District of North Carolina.  Additionally, court records reveal that CHAJ-RAMOS illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location, and was charged and/or convicted multiple times in North Carolina under the identity of a United States citizen.

If convicted of Misuse of a Social Security Account Number, False Claim of United States Citizenship with Intent to Engage Unlawfully in Employment in the United States, and Aggravated Identity Theft, CHAJ-RAMOS, found in Wake County, would face maximum penalties of 48 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.