Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty To Passport Fraud

BOSTON – A Salvadoran national pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester yesterday to passport fraud.

Neemias Pacheco-Santamaria, 33, a Salvadoran national residing in Worcester, pleaded guilty to one count of passport fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman deferred acceptance of the plea until sentencing, which is scheduled for Sept. 16, 2019. Pacheco-Santamaria was arrested and charged in February 2019 and has been detained since.

In July 2018, Pacheco-Santamaria entered a Worcester Post Office and falsely used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a United States citizen from Puerto Rico to apply for a United States Passport.

The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Pacheco-Santamaria will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.