Illegal immigrants sentenced for ID fraud

Raleigh, N.C. — Eight illegal immigrants have been sentenced to 21 to 30 months in federal prison for participating in an identity fraud ring, authorities said.

Donovan Martinez-del Angel, 34, Omar Adalid Soto-Baltazar, 32, Jose Hernandez-Martines, 48, Jose Galvan-Rangel, 51, Sergio Martinez-Juarez, 23, Ernesto Esquivel-Perez, 30, Luis Salvador Villicana-Martinez, 35, and Roberto Ruiz-Torres, 21, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce and transfer false identification documents and immigration violations.

The eight were indicted following an investigation, dubbed Operation Red Eye, by the U.S. Secret Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Between August 2006, and January, the men participated in a scheme in the Triangle to manufacture and sell counterfeit identification documents, including drivers’ licenses, Social Security cards and permanent resident cards, authorities said.

The men solicited customers by using business cards that contained almost no identifying information. They would take pictures of the customers, gather the information the customer wanted on the card and take a fee for providing phony documents, authorities said.

Six other people are awaiting sentencing in the case.