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 – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSE CASTRON MURCIA, age 22, a citizen of Honduras, pled guilty on October 31, 2023 to illegally using a social security number belonging to another individual, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
According to documents filed in federal court, the defendant unlawfully used a social security account number belonging to another individual to complete documents necessary to maintaining employment with a local business. The defendant pled guilty before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry and sentencing is set for February 6, 2024.
The maximum penalty for the offense is five years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000 or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim, followed by up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of one hundred dollars.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Pickens, II of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
