Honduran Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Using Someone Else’s Social Security Number

A Honduran who illegally used someone else’ social security account number was sentenced today, to more than three months in federal prison.

Maximo Ernesto Torres, age 43, a citizen of Honduras illegally present in the United States and residing in Calmar, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 5, 2017, guilty plea to one count of misuse of a social security number.

At the guilty plea, Torres admitted he illegally used a social security account number not assigned to him for tax purposes.  On May 8, 2017, Torres used a fake name and someone else’s social security number to complete federal W-4 tax forms and other employment paperwork in Lawler, Iowa.  Torres used the same name and fraudulent identification documents to obtain employment in Lawler in 2012.  Torres also used fraudulent identification documents to obtain work in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 2008 and 2009.  Torres came to the attention of immigration officials in September 2017 after Torres attempted to register a vehicle under the fake name and social security account number.

Torres was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Torres was sentenced to 106 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Torres is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 17-CR-2079.

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