Colombian Citizen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Adopting the Identity of a U.S. Citizen to Obtain a Passport and to Vote in an Election

Jacksonville, Florida - Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Grajales (55, Jacksonville) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger to three years in federal prison for making false statements in an application for a U.S. passport, aggravated identity theft, falsely claiming that a Social Security number had been assigned to him, and falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen to vote in an election. The court also entered a Judicial Order of Removal directing that Jaramillo Grajales be removed to Colombia. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to court documents and information provided at the sentencing hearing, Jaramillo Grajales is a Colombian citizen who used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a passport. He used those same identifiers and claimed to be a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a Florida driver license and to register to vote. He then voted in several elections.

Jaramillo Grajales first obtained a driver license in the U.S. citizen's name in March 2003 and subsequently renewed it several times, with the last renewal occurring in February 2024.

In April 2003, Jaramillo Grajales submitted an application for a U.S. passport. He identified himself as the U.S. citizen and provided a Puerto Rican birth certificate in the U.S. citizen's name along with the driver license he had obtained. Based on these fraudulent-but authentic-documents, he was issued a passport in May 2003. He submitted passport renewal applications in February 2013 and March 2023 and a renewed passport was issued each time.

In December 2010, Jaramillo Grajales submitted a Florida Voter Registration Application, identifying himself as the U.S. citizen and affirming that he was a U.S. citizen who had been born in Puerto Rico. The registration was approved and he subsequently voted in several elections, including the election held in Duval County on November 3, 2020.

The woman who later became Jaramillo Grajales's spouse entered the United States on a visitor's visa in September 2003. They married and she later applied for legal permanent residence and citizenship based on the marriage, as her spouse was purportedly a U.S. citizen. The applications were approved and in August 2017, she became a U.S. citizen. Jaramillo Grajales and his spouse divorced in January 2020.

In May 2024, Jaramillo Grajales flew to Colombia under his false name and in June 2024, his then-ex-spouse flew to Colombia and filed an application for a K-1 (fiancé) visa on behalf of Jaramillo Grajales under his real name. The visa was approved and he returned to the United States under his real name. Jaramillo Grajales and his ex-spouse remarried in June 2025, and he then applied for permanent residence based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen.

"Federal immigration laws serve to safeguard our nation's borders and protect the integrity of our government," said U.S. Attorney Kehoe. "Those who seek to circumvent, exploit, or break these laws will be prosecuted fully."

"This criminal illegal alien spent years exploiting a stolen identity of a United States citizen to obtain government documents, claim benefits, and unlawfully participate in the electoral process," said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. "This conviction demonstrates that identity theft, immigration fraud, and fraud against the integrity of United States government systems will be investigated thoroughly and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. HSI remains committed to protecting victims, safeguarding public institutions, and ensuring that those who abuse our immigration and identification systems are held accountable."

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.