Salvadoran citizen charged with usurping identity of Puerto Rican man

A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Jose E. Carrillo-Abrego, 33, a citizen of El Salvador, with usurping the identity of a Puerto Rican man to conceal his illegal presence in the United States, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. 

Assistant United States Attorneys Robert W. Kern and Elliot Morrison are prosecuting the case following an investigation by the United States Border Patrol.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.