Tampa woman sentenced to prison for leading marriage fraud ring

TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa woman was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison Thursday for engaging in a conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

According to court documents, Cassandra Hamilton, 55, of Tampa, engaged in a marriage fraud conspiracy spanning several years and in excess of ten marriages.

"Hamilton conspired to circumvent and exploit our nation's immigration laws for personal financial gain. Her crimes have also resulted in Jamaican nationals who are now permanently barred from obtaining lawful permanent status in the United States," said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. "HSI will continue to work closely with our partner agencies, like USCIS, to protect the integrity of this country's immigration system."

"As an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, USCIS has zero tolerance for marriage fraud," said Ruth Dorochoff, USCIS Tampa district director. "Justice has been served with this sentencing, and we remain vigilant in detecting and prosecuting any immigration fraud."

Hamilton arranged marriages between U.S. and Jamaican citizens for the purpose of enabling the Jamaican citizens to obtain residency and citizenship. Hamilton was paid for her involvement in arranging the marriages. She pleaded guilty April 15.