Honduran National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Associated Fraud Charges

Tampa, FL - Cristian Daniel Diaz-Garcia (age 27), an illegal alien from Honduras, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday to three years and two months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number, and making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. Diaz-Garcia was an illegal alien from Honduras with no lawful status in the United States. On August 17, 2021, Diaz-Garcia applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Diaz-Garcia falsely identified himself as a United States citizen and used another person's means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system.

After getting fired in 2022, Diaz-Garcia purchased additional means of identification of a different U.S. citizen, without that citizen's knowledge. On February 1, 2023, Diaz-Garcia again applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Diaz-Garcia falsely identified himself as this other United States citizen and used that person's means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation - Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III, and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.