Honduras Citizen Charged with Illegal Re-Entry into U.S. and Social Security Fraud

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Honduras has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal immigration and fraud laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The nine-count Indictment named Jose Antonio Mejia-Sarmiento, 66, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, Mejia-Sarmiento was found in the Western District of Pennsylvania after being deported and removed from the United States three times between 1996 and 2016, including after having been convicted of a felony on the latter occasion. The Indictment further charges Mejia-Sarmiento with making false statements to the Social Security Administration on four different dates between May 2024 and February 2025 by possessing and using the identification of another person.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.