Dominican National Sentenced for Passport Fraud

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts:

BOSTON - A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with using a U.S. citizen’s identity for more than 11 years. The U.S. citizen died in Puerto Rico in 2018.

Ramon Alberto Mejia Garcia was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 17 months in prison. Mejia Garcia will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In July 2019, Mejia Garcia was convicted by a federal jury of making a false statement on a passport application.

On an unknown date, Mejia Garcia obtained the birth certificate of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico, and used it to obtain various identification documents, including a Social Security card, a Massachusetts liquor identification card, a Massachusetts driver’s license and a MassHealth card.   

On May 14, 2008, Mejia Garcia walked into a U.S. Postal Office in Roxbury and submitted a passport application with his picture attached, but used the U.S. citizen’s name and identifiers. The passport was ultimately issued. In July 2018, when the passport was about to expire, Mejia Garcia sent in a passport renewal application in the false identity. In September 2018, when his renewed passport did not arrive, Mejia Garcia went to the National Passport Center in Portsmouth, N.H., to check on his application. He was subsequently arrested and has remained in custody since that time.  

Law enforcement began investigating Mejia Garcia after he pleaded guilty to a 2010 involuntary manslaughter and assault and battery charge after throwing a glass at a young man’s neck in a Boston bar. Mejia Garcia was prosecuted and served his jail time under the U.S. citizen’s identity.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration; and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Tobin and Mackenzie Queenin of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON - A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with using a U.S. citizen’s identity for more than 11 years. The U.S. citizen died in Puerto Rico in 2018.

Ramon Alberto Mejia Garcia was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 17 months in prison. Mejia Garcia will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In July 2019, Mejia Garcia was convicted by a federal jury of making a false statement on a passport application.

On an unknown date, Mejia Garcia obtained the birth certificate of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico, and used it to obtain various identification documents, including a Social Security card, a Massachusetts liquor identification card, a Massachusetts driver’s license and a MassHealth card.   

On May 14, 2008, Mejia Garcia walked into a U.S. Postal Office in Roxbury and submitted a passport application with his picture attached, but used the U.S. citizen’s name and identifiers. The passport was ultimately issued. In July 2018, when the passport was about to expire, Mejia Garcia sent in a passport renewal application in the false identity. In September 2018, when his renewed passport did not arrive, Mejia Garcia went to the National Passport Center in Portsmouth, N.H., to check on his application. He was subsequently arrested and has remained in custody since that time.  

Law enforcement began investigating Mejia Garcia after he pleaded guilty to a 2010 involuntary manslaughter and assault and battery charge after throwing a glass at a young man’s neck in a Boston bar. Mejia Garcia was prosecuted and served his jail time under the U.S. citizen’s identity.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration; and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Tobin and Mackenzie Queenin of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.