Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Obtaining U.S. Citizenship and U.S. Passport

NEWARK, N.J. - A foreign national and convicted felon pleaded guilty to unlawful procurement of naturalization and passport fraud, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.

Miguel Dario Bautista Jimenez, a/k/a "Carlos Chapman Hernandez," a/k/a "Carlos Hernandez," 42, of Hoboken, New Jersey pleaded guilty to a two-count Indictment charging him with unlawful procurement of naturalization, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1425(b) and 2, and passport fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1542 and 2, on October 14, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Miguel Dario Bautista Jimenez, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was removed from the United States in or around 2013, following a criminal conviction in New York for an aggravated felony. In or around June 2014, Bautista re-entered the United States using a false identity. Bautista applied for legal permanent residence and naturalization falsely stating that his name was "Carlos Chapman Hernandez," a person born in Cuba, and falsely stating that he had never been convicted of a crime, had never been removed from the United States, and had never been to prison. Bautista used the false identity to fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship documents through naturalization, including a U.S. passport.

The charges of unlawful procurement of naturalization and passport fraud each carry a maximum penalty of ten years' imprisonment. Each offense carries a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain from the offense, whichever is greatest.

U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations in Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Amy Connelly, the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Fanelli, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Priscilla Gabela and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Criminal Division in Newark.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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Defense counsel: Carlos Diaz-Cobo, Esq.