Illegal Alien Sentenced to Fourteen Months in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Having Been Deported, Using Fraudulent Identification Documents and Using Another’s Social Security Number

A man who illegally returned to the United States and used false documents to obtain employment was sentenced today to fourteen months in federal prison.

Roberto Cruz-Rivera, age 37, an illegal alien living in Clarion, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 12, 2015, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents, one count of misuse of a social security number, and illegal reentry into the United States by a felon.

The evidence showed that Cruz-Rivera was deported from the United States in July 2009 after having been convicted in Iowa of forgery, a felony offense. The forgery conviction involved the possession of two fraudulent permanent resident cards and a fraudulent social security card using a false name. In September 2009, Cruz-Rivera was convicted in Texas of illegal entry into the United States and again deported on October 5, 2009. Cruz-Rivera was apprehended upon illegally reentering the United States three more times and was again deported on October 9 & 10, 2009, and again on the 15th. After that date, Cruz-Rivera illegally reentered the United States and in April 2010, Cruz-Rivera used a fraudulent permanent resident card in his name and a social security number to gain employment in Iowa. However, the account numbers on the permanent resident card and social security account were assigned to someone else.

Cruz-Rivera was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Cruz-Rivera was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $300 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Cruz-Rivera 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 Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 14-CR-136-LRR.

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