Convicted Child Molester Sentenced for Attempted Naturalization Fraud

RALEIGH, N.C. – Armando Marinero-Garcia, age 49, a permanent resident of the United States, born in Mexico and residing in Johnston County, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle to five months in prison following a guilty plea to attempted naturalization fraud.

According to court records, on June 1, 2018, Marinero attempted to fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship by making materially false statements under penalty of perjury regarding his naturalization application.  In response to the question “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…Forcing, or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?” he answered “No.”  Also, in response to the question “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?” he answered “No.”

On June 14, 2022, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Wake County, Marinero was convicted of four counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of crime against nature.  He was sentenced to a combined term of imprisonment of 100 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. According to the transcript of plea and judgments issued by the court, Marinero committed the crimes on August 1, 2016.  Therefore, the statements he made on his naturalization application were false.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. Agents with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, assigned to the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sebastian Kielmanovich prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-252-1BO-RN.