AÂ federal indicment was returned June 2 following the arrest of a Brazilian man from Arlington on a charge of transferring and aiding and abetting the transfer of fake United States identification documents, and possessing document-making implements.
United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Robin M. Avers, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New England; and Leo J. Sullivan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, announced that Ozélio Pereira De Assis, aka João Pereira, age 25, of 248 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, Massachusetts, was charged in a two-count indicment with transferring false identification documents and possessing document-making implements.
According to the indicment, between October of 2004 and May of 2005, De Assis unlawfully transferred counterfeit Alien Registration Cards commonly known as “green cards” and counterfeit Social Security Account Number Cards.
The indicment also alleges that between May 24, 2005 and May 25, 2005, De Assis possessed document-making implements, including, one ream of gray paper stock, three notebooks (containing biographical information, names and dates of birth of various persons), two sheets of passport style photos of two different persons, several laminating pouches, one Brazilian driver’s history record for an unknown person, and one Sony video camera.
It is alleged that the document-making implements would be used by De Assis in the production of false identification documents. The indicment also seeks criminal forfeiture.
De Assis was arrested on May 25, 2005 on a criminal complaint in connection with these charges. According to the criminal complaint, between October 2004 and April 2005, De Assis was involved in the distribution of over 212 counterfeit documents, namely counterfeit green cards and counterfeit Social Security Account Number Cards. It is further alleged that De Assis is a citizen of Brazil and in the United States illegally.
De Assis remained in federal custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for June 2, 2005 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leo T. Sorokin.
If convicted, DE ASSIS faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on each count.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Peabody Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Antoinette E.M. Leoney in Sullivan’s Major Crimes Unit.
Source: U.S. Attorney
PRNewswire
