Man Convicted in Federal Court in Las Vegas
For Fraudulently Obtaining U.S. Citizenship
Las Vegas, Nev. - Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, and Karen Dorman, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) for Nevada, announced that on January 7, 2003, following a trial before U.S. District Court Judge Lloyd D. George, MELVIN MARIN, age 25, a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, was convicted by a jury in Las Vegas of making a false statement in a naturalization document, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, and fraudulently obtaining United States citizenship, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1425(a) .
MARIN, who is a native of El Salvador, but has resided in the United States since he was two years old, was indicted by the federal grand jury in Las Vegas on September 4, 2002, and charged with False Statements and Fraudulently Attempting to and Obtaining U.S. Citizenship. According to the court records, on November 22, 1996, MARIN falsely stated on INS Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony, that he had not been arrested, charged or convicted for breaking or violating any law or ordinance, when in fact, on October 21, 1996, MARIN had been arrested for discharging a firearm and carrying a concealed handgun. MARIN was naturalized as a United States citizen on November 22, 1996, following those false statements. As a result of this conviction for naturalization fraud, the United States will file a motion at sentencing asking Judge George to revoke MARIN's U.S. citizenship.
MARIN is currently in state custody on unrelated charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced on the federal charges on April 11, 2003, before Judge George. MARIN is facing up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on the false statement charge, and up to 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on the naturalization fraud count. The actual sentence, however, will be dictated by the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of factors, and will be imposed at the discretion of the Court.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the INS and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy J. Koppe.
