Palm Desert Attorney Indicted on Federal Charges in Passport Fraud Case

A Palm Desert attorney has been charged with fraudulently obtaining a United States passport by using the personal identifying information of another attorney without permission.

Warren David Camp, 47, a Canadian citizen, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 14, 2012, in a 3-count federal indictment. The indictment, charges Camp with making a false statement in a passport application, making materially false statements to the United States Department of State, and false representation of a social security account number assigned to another person. 

According to the indictment, on or about August 25, 2009, Camp made false statements in an application for a United States passport.  Camp completed the application using the personal identifying information of his victim.  Defendant presented a counterfeit State of California identification card issued in the victim’s name and a social security number assigned to the victim.

Camp was arrested on March 15, 2012, and arraigned in Los Angeles before Federal Magistrate Judge Michael R. Wilner, who set an appearance bond of $50,000.  

“Our Los Angeles Field Office did an outstanding job of investigating this case. The charges against Mr. Camp demonstrate our commitment to protecting the integrity of the U.S. passport, one of the most coveted travel documents in the world,” said Scott Bultrowicz, Director of the Diplomatic Security Service.

“Passport and identity fraud are serious crimes that threaten both the sanctity of our nation’s borders and the peace of mind of our citizens,” according to United States Attorney André Birotte, Jr. “The charges in this case send a strong message of deterrence to any and all persons who would seek to tamper with the U.S. passport.”         

Passport fraud charges carry a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, false statement and false representation of a social security account number assigned to another person charges carry a potential maximum sentence of 5 years.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime.  A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.