By MATT PIKE
A Gutaemalan man who resided St. Joseph was sentenced in federal court for fraudulently using a Minnesota man’s identity for over a decade to work legally in the United States.
44 year old Romeo Perez-Bravo was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to seven years imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release for assuming the victim’s identity to live and work in the United States. Perez-Bravo was also ordered to pay the victim restitution for the funds he expended attempting to regain his identity. The sentence includes two years for aggravated identity theft and five years for illegal reentry to the United States after a previous felony conviction.
The prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
“The actions of Romeo Perez-Bravo caused extensive harm to the victim, including substantial lost wages, impact to the victim’s credit, and countless hours spent trying to resolve the consequences; hours that can never be restored,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Western Missouri R. Matthew Price says in a news release. “Identity theft is a serious crime that can have lasting consequences for victims while also placing an unnecessary burden on taxpayers, government programs, and the agencies responsible for administering them. Our district will continue to aggressively pursue those who break the law by not only fraudulently assuming the identity of an American citizen, but also violating our country’s immigration policies.”
Perez-Bravo admitted that beginning in Missouri in 2009, he used the victim’s name, social security number, and date of birth to fraudulently obtain work authorization. He also used the victim’s identity to obtain a Missouri non-driver’s license and to register vehicles. At the sentencing hearing, the victim testified that he learned someone had stolen his identity when his wages began to be garnished for an unknown debt. He inquired with the Social Security Administration and was told there were several employers reporting wages under his SSN in states he never visited or lived in. For over a decade, the victim received demand letters from the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid tax debts accrued by Perez-Bravo working under his identity.
The victim estimated he had paid nearly $15,000 to the IRS and continues to pay monthly installments on the tax debts. The victim also incurred expenses related to attempting to remove Perez-Bravo’s taxes from his record.
“For more than a decade, this defendant stole more than a name. He stole a real person’s financial security, peace of mind, and ability to live free from the consequences of someone else’s crimes,” Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent Charge Rick Sabatini says. “HSI Kansas City will continue to pursue identity thieves, repeat immigration offenders, and criminal aliens who exploit our systems and victimize innocent Americans. If you use fraud to hide, work, or commit crimes in our communities, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
Perez-Bravo was illegally present in the United States after being deported three previous times in 2005, 2008, and 2009. While illegally present in the United States, Perez-Bravo was convicted of six driving while intoxicated offenses, domestic violence, and three felonies including terroristic threats and aggravated forgery. He also used the victim’s identity when he was found liable in a wrongful death suit for a vehicle crash he caused.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda K. Hanson. It was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations, the Olivia Minnesota Police Department, and the St. Joseph Police Department.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.