United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2011
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

NORTH DALLAS MAN WHO FLED TO BELIZE TO AVOID PROSECUTION
IS EXTRADITED AND PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL FELONY OFFENSE

DALLAS — Douglas Cade Havard, 28, of Dallas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul D. Stickney to a one-count indictment charging that he made a false statement in applying for a passport, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Havard, who is in custody, faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2011, by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay.

“Mr. Havard was just 19 when he knowingly lied on a passport application, obtained that passport and fled the U.S. — all to avoid facing serious felony charges in Texas, said U.S. Attorney Jacks. “Now, thanks to the excellent work by the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Office (DS) and the U.S. Marshals Service, Havard is back in Texas where he will be held accountable.”

“Diplomatic Security will continue to aggressively protect our borders by safeguarding the integrity of our travel documents,” said Jeffery W. Culver, Director of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. DS is firmly committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies around the world to investigate allegations of passport and visa fraud and bring those who commit these crimes to justice.”

According to documents filed in the case, in 2002, Havard knowingly made a false statement in an application for a passport, obtained the passport and traveled to Belize using this passport, all with the intention of fleeing the U.S. to avoid prosecution on pending Texas state criminal charges.

In June 2002, Havard applied for a U.S. passport, stating that he was “Eugene James Griftner,” born in Dallas on September 8, 1980. As proof of citizenship, Havard presented a birth certificate in that name and as proof of identity, he presented a Texas driver’s license in that name.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen P. Fahey is in charge of the prosecution.

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