Aliens Indicted on Misuse of a Social Security Account Number, False Claim of United States Citizenship, Aggravated Identity Theft, Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and other Documents, and Illegal and Unlawful Alien in Possession of a Firearm

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 ELISEO HERNANDEZ-LORENZO, age 28, 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, aggravated identity theft, and fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.  Additionally, a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging LEOPOLDO GARCIA-ALTAMIRANO, age 56, of Mexico, with Unlawful and Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm.

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, aggravated identity theft, and fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, HERNANDEZ-LORENZO, found in Duplin County, would face maximum penalties of forty-nine years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

If convicted of Illegal and Unlawful Alien in Possession of a Firearm, GARCIA-ALTAMIRANO, found in New Hanover County, would face maximum penalties of ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

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

The cases are being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.