Jose De La Cruz-Lopez, a 45-year-old Mexican national residing illegally in the United States, has pleaded guilty to misusing a social security number and using false immigration identification documents. The plea was announced by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The charges stem from an investigation at Buckeye Fire Equipment Company in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, where federal authorities executed a search and seizure warrant.
De La Cruz-Lopez admitted to obtaining employment at Buckeye Fire Equipment by using another person’s social security number and other personal information on falsified identification documents. According to court records, these documents included a driver’s license with his photograph but the name of an individual authorized to work in the United States and a copy of that individual’s Social Security card. He also falsely claimed U.S. citizenship on his I-9 employment eligibility verification form.
Two additional individuals have entered guilty pleas as part of this case, while further charges are anticipated following ongoing investigations.
“Identity theft is a pervasive problem that can wreak havoc on a victim’s life,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We take it very seriously, particularly in cases like this where it undermines our employment laws and the integrity of the hiring process. As this investigation continues, we want to remind employers to exercise vigilance and remain alert for counterfeit documents used to establish a worker’s identity and employment eligibility.”
Seven other defendants have been charged federally as part of the same investigation:
– Humberto Guzman Lemus, 32, from Mexico: Charged with illegal reentry after being previously deported in December 2019 following arrests for driving while impaired and failing to stop at a flashing red light. Lemus has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
– Angel Antonio Lara Reyes, 52, from Honduras: Charged with illegal reentry after prior deportation in November 2014 near Brownsville, Texas; has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
– Arurto Albarras Altunar, 40, from Mexico: Charged with illegal reentry after being deported three times within one month in early 2016.
– Geovany Lopez Lopez, 38, from Guatemala: Charged with illegal reentry after deportation in May 2011 following arrests for assault on a female, resisting an officer, and property damage.
– Luiz Antonio Martinez Lopez, 40, from Mexico: Charged with illegal reentry after two previous deportations—one following traffic violations in August 2011 and another for multiple offenses including impaired driving in March 2019.
– Alberto Perez Mendoza, 37, from Mexico: Charged with illegal reentry after three previous deportations between July 2006 and January 2015.
– Enrique Gil Rojano, 52, from Honduras: Charged with illegal reentry after convictions for transporting or selling controlled substances (three years’ imprisonment) and felony perjury; he was deported in September 2005.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration as well as criminal organizations associated with such activity. Since its implementation https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/mexican-national-pleads-guilty-identity-theft-and-seven-others-face-immigration , forty-four individuals have been charged with immigration-related offenses within the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited several agencies for their roles in these investigations including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Emergency Removal Operations (ERO), FBI https://www.fbi.gov/ , U.S. Marshals Service https://www.usmarshals.gov/ , U.S. Customs and Border Protection https://www.cbp.gov/ , IRS Criminal Investigation https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation , Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General https://oig.ssa.gov/ , North Carolina National Guard https://nc.ng.mil/Pages/default.aspx , DEA https://www.dea.gov/ , ATF https://www.atf.gov/ , King’s Mountain Police Department https://cityofkm.com/204/Kings-Mountain-Police , Gaston County Sheriff’s Department https://gastoncountysheriffsoffice.com/ , and Gaston County Police Department https://police.gastongov.com/.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Smith along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick are prosecuting these cases.
