Middle Eastern Man Indicted for Fraudulent Use of Immigration Documents and Aggravated Identity Theft

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Middle Eastern man illegally residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, and aggravated identify theft, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The six-count Indictment named Mahmoud Almasry, aka Mohammad Jiham, 44, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, Almasry assumed the identity of another person to fraudulently gain entry into the United States in 2016 and continued to use that person's name for the next decade. Further, Almasry used various forms of identification of the other person, who was already deceased at the time Almasry assumed his identity in order to enter the United States.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 25 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.