Illegal Immigrant Living In Louisville Indicted On Immigration And Fraud Related Charges

Previously charged in Jefferson County Circuit Court with murder and operating a motor vehicle under the influence

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Mexican national illegally present in the United States and residing in Louisville, Kentucky, was charged this week, by a federal grand jury, with possessing and using counterfeit documents for purposes of obtaining employment announced United Statets Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.

Juan Carlos Ortega-Santos, 26, was charged with four immigration fraud related counts: Counts 1-2: Use of a False Document for Purposes of Obtaining Employment, Count 3: Possession of a Counterfeit Alien Registration Card, and Count 4: Possession of a Counterfeit Social Security Card. 

This case arose when Ortega-Santos was arrested on June 22, 2016 for driving a vehicle under the influence and killing two juveniles on Taylorsville Road.  Ortega-Santos was later charged with murder, assault, wanton endangerment, operating a motor vehicle under the influence, driving without a license, and failure to maintain insurance. Soon after his arrest, it was learned that Ortega-Santos was a Mexican national illegally present in the United States.    

Upon learning of Ortega-Santos’ illegal immigration status in the United States, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office began investigating Ortega-Santos and found that he had used counterfeit documents to obtain employment in Louisville, Kentucky.  Ortega-Santos currently has an ICE detainer which will hold him if he were to be released from state or federal custody. 

If convicted, Ortega-Santos faces maximum potential penalties of no more than 10 years in prison for counts 1-2; and no more than 5 years in prison for counts 3-4.

Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Kinnicutt is prosecuting the case.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the investigation.

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The indictment of a person by Federal Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven. ortega-santos_juan_indictment_9-7-16.pdf