Florida construction workers charged with using fake work documents

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Three Tallahassee construction workers were arraigned in federal court Thursday on charges of possessing and using a fraudulent document as evidence of work authorization in the United States, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

In indictments filed earlier this week, Oscar Fuentes, 25, Jaime Antonio DeLarca, 24, and Saul Rivas-Dubon, 32, were separately charged with using a fraudulent document as evidence of work authorization in the United States, based upon their presentation of documents such as counterfeit permanent resident cards or counterfeit social security cards to their employer, Nelson & Associates, Inc.

Fuentes was also charged with transfer of a fraudulent identification document.

If convicted of using fraudulent documents, each defendant faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. If convicted of transferring a fraudulent document, Fuentes faces a maximum of 15 years' imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Winifred Acosta NeSmith.