Nebraska and California residents sentenced in identity fraud conspiracy following HSI, joint law enforcement partner investigation

OMAHA, Neb. — Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Kansas City Katherine Greer and Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Luis Alberto Castro-Santos, 35, of Pomona, California, and Tomas De La Cruz-Perez, 37, of Fremont, Nebraska, were sentenced Oct. 21, in federal court in Omaha for Conspiracy to Produce and Transfer Fraudulent Documents. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Castro-Santos and De La Cruz to imprisonment for terms of 24 months and 15 months, respectively, following an HSI, joint law enforcement partner investigation.

Prior to sentencing, De La Cruz-Perez had forfeited $9,170 as proceeds of the fraudulent document scheme. There is no parole in the federal system. After their release from prison, each will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Both will be deported by U.S. immigration authorities after completing their respective sentences to imprisonment.

In the spring of 2020, law enforcement officers investigating an identity theft matter involving the use of a deceased person’s Social Security number, learned that fraudulent identity documents could be obtained from De La Cruz-Perez.

Over the course of the year, investigators made several purchases of fraudulent documents (Social Security cards, state Driver’s Licenses, and Lawful Permanent Resident cards (I-551s) from De La Cruz-Perez, who was receiving dozens of packages originating in California through the U.S. Mail. Investigators determined that Castro-Santos was the source of the fraudulent documents mailed to De La Cruz-Perez for sale to customers in Nebraska. Investigators determined that Estuardo Ruiz-Orozco, of Wakefield, Nebraska, was also selling fraudulent documents obtained from Castro-Santos in California. Ruiz-Orozco was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 24 months on May 12, 2022. The remaining defendant in the case, Martin Alonzo Castro, is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan, 6, 2023.

Investigators planned and executed coordinated arrests of the defendants on April 14, 2021. Investigators obtained warrants to search the Nebraska defendants’ residences and cars, yielding hundreds of counterfeit federal and state identity cards.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, and the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles.

HSI is a directorate of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 employees consists of more than 6,800 special agents assigned to 225 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

Learn more about HSI’s mission to combat fraud in your community, on Twitter @HSIKansasCity.