Texas Man Convicted for Unauthorized Identity Documents with Illegal Intent

GULFPORT, MS – A Houston, Texas, man pleaded guilty on April 17, 2025, to Unauthorized Possession of Five or More Identity Documents or Authentication Features with Intent to Use Unlawfully.  According to court documents, Kenny Hoang Nguyen, age 31, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to this felony offense in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. 

Nguyen is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.  Federal law also provides for Nguyen to be held responsible for restitution to victims. A federal judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  

On May 7, 2024, an agent with the Jackson County, South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team (MET) observed a vehicle driving carelessly and initiated a traffic stop on Interstate 10 eastbound. The vehicle was being driven by Kenny Hoang Nguyen.  The agent’s narcotics K9 alerted on the vehicle and a search revealed a small amount of suspected methamphetamine.

Additionally, agents found seven temporary Texas driver’s licenses bearing Nguyen’s face but with names and personal information of other people.  Further, agents found various documents; debit cards, papers with other personal identity information, and U.S. Mail belonging to other persons. Some items were located in an object that appeared to be book entitled “Holy Bible” but actually was a container. Receipts and deposit slips also were found, with two deposit slips in the name of a victim whose identity was used to create a false ID with Nguyen’s photo.  27 victims were identified whose data (such as account numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, and social security numbers) was unlawfully possessed by Nguyen.

The case was referred to a U.S. Postal Inspector for further investigation.  Multiple victims were interviewed whose identity had been unlawfully possessed by Nguyen in Jackson County.  Victims described unlawful activity involving their mail and bank accounts that were directly consistent and matched documents such as bank records possessed by Nguyen when he was arrested in MS.

Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon, praised the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.  Lemon joined Shameka Jackson, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Postal Inspection Service (Houston Division), and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, in making the announcement.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).