NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Louisiana, Eastern), published as received.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that HENRY EDGARDO ORTIZ, age 44, plead guilty today to illegally using a social security number, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
According to court documents, ORTIZ applied to the Jefferson Parish Office of Motor Vehicles , for a Louisiana Identification Card. However, the Social Security Administration later confirmed that the identification card and its associated number, had been previously issued on May 4, 2018 in the name of another person in Puerto Rico, “ Individual A”.
Later, when ORTIZ, appeared at the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s office to handle another matter, he presented a Honduran passport in his real name. The District Attorney’s office became suspicious and contacted the Department of Homeland Security. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security located the Louisiana driver’s license paperwork, that showed the ORTIZ’s fraudulent use of a social security number.
ORTIZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
