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Press Release

Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Using Another Person’s Social Security Number and Fraudulent “Green Card” to Get a Job

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Iowa

A Mexican man who used another person’s social security number and a fraudulent “green card” to get a job was sentenced on February 21, 2019 to five months in federal prison.

Luis Gonzalez-Esparsa, age 46, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Cascade, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 28, 2018, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of unlawful use of an identification document and one count of misuse of a social security number. 

The evidence at trial showed that on June 14, 2018, Gonzalez-Esparsa used someone else’s social security number on employment and tax documents when applying for work in Peosta, Iowa.  He also used a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” to claim he was legally present and authorized to work in the United States.  The Alien Registration number on the “green card” had been issued to another person, a female from Mexico.

Gonzalez-Esparsa came to the attention of immigration officials following his arrest in August 2018 in Anamosa, Iowa, for failure to appear for court on a state law driving violation.  Gonzalez-Esparsa has been convicted of driving without a valid driver’s license eight times.  He was also convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in Allamakee County, Iowa, in 2005.  Gonzalez-Esparsa has illegally resided in the United States since 1996. 

Gonzalez-Esparsa was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C. J. Williams.  Gonzalez-Esparsa was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Gonzalez-Esparsa 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 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 18-CR-1035-CJW.

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Updated February 25, 2019

Topic
Immigration