BOSTON - A Dominican man was charged today in federal court with passport fraud.
Wady Joel Rodriguez, also known as Alexis Melendez-Rivas, 27, of the Dominican Republic and recently of South Boston, was indicted on charges of false claim to citizenship and false statement in application of U.S. passport.
The indictment alleges that on Sept. 14, 2011, Rodriguez falsely and willfully represented himself to be a citizen of the United States and willfully and knowingly made false statements in an application for a U.S. passport.
If convicted, Rodriguez faces up to 13 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and James P. Ennis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael I. Yoon of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
