Former Georgia police officer sentenced for immigration fraud

ATLANTA – A former Jamaican police officer who illegally entered the United States and then became a U.S. citizen and a College Park police officer was sentenced July 8 to ten months in prison for committing immigration fraud. The investigation leading to his sentence was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Devon Campbell, aka Wilmott Alvin Livingston, left Jamaica in November 2007 and entered the United States using a Jamaican passport bearing the fabricated name Wilmott Alvin Livingston and a false date of birth.

“For more than a decade, Campbell violated this country’s immigration laws and deceived this nation’s immigration authorities,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “We require honesty and integrity from our police officers, and Campbell’s fraud on the immigration system violated this trust.”

“The defendant used his fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship to become a police officer in this country, making a mockery of the very laws he was sworn to uphold,” said Brock D. Nicholson, special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta. “U.S. citizenship is eagerly sought by millions of people across the world, and HSI special agents work hard to maintain the integrity of our system by identifying those like Mr. Campbell who seek to gain it through fraud.”

According to information presented in court: In 2000, Campbell lived in Jamaica, where he had previously been employed as a police officer with the Jamaican Constabulary Force prior to his fraudulent entry into the United States.

While in the United States, Campbell lived under the Livingston alias. On April 19, 2001, Campbell (using the Livingston alias) married a United States citizen in Jonesboro. Shortly thereafter, Campbell (under the Livingston name) petitioned to become a Lawful Permanent Resident. On Aug. 13, 2004, U.S. immigration authorities granted the application and Campbell (under the Livingston name) became a permanent resident of the United States.

On Oct. 15, 2007, Campbell, using the Livingston name and date of birth, filed an Application for Naturalization with U.S. immigration services. Although the application required Campbell to list any previously-used names, Campbell marked that section with the letters “N/A,” meaning “Not Applicable.” Campbell also signed the form under penalty of perjury using the fabricated name Wilmott Alvin Livingston. On April 11, 2008, Campbell (under the Livingston alias) became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Later that month, Campbell applied for and was subsequently issued a U.S. passport. On the passport application, Campbell listed his false name and date of birth. Campbell has used his fraudulently-obtained passport to travel back and forth to Jamaica.

Two months after becoming a U.S. citizen, on June 12, 2008, Campbell (under the Livingston identity) and his wife divorced. Eight days later, Campbell (under the Livingston identity) married another woman.

Since 2011, Campbell has served as a police officer with the College Park Police Department. In obtaining his Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training certification, Campbell falsely claimed to be a naturalized United States citizen and submitted an unlawfully obtained Certificate of Naturalization.

On April 8, 2014, Campbell, 46, of Ellenwood, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawfully Procuring Citizenship or Naturalization and one count of Using a Passport Secured by False Statements.

As part of his conviction, Campbell’s United States citizenship has been revoked. In addition, after completing his prison sentence Campbell will be removed from the United States.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey W. Davis prosecuted the case.