Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft

BOSTON – A Dominican national, who is illegally in the United States, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to charges related to identity theft.

Kelny Andujar, a/k/a Kelny Alberto Andujar Pinales, 36, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of passport fraud, one count of misusing a Social Security number, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Sept. 13, 2018. Andujar has been in custody since his arrest in March 2018.

In March 2016, Andujar went to a post office in Lawrence and applied for a U.S. passport. He applied in the name of a U.S. citizen who lives in Puerto Rico and listed that citizen’s date of birth, place of birth and Social Security number. Andujar supported his application with a certified copy of the victim’s birth certificate, a Social Security card bearing the victim’s name and Social Security number, and a Massachusetts ID card bearing Andujar’s photo but the victim’s name. The passport application was denied.

In November 2016, Andujar went to the Registry of Motor Vehicles in Wilmington and applied for a duplicate Massachusetts ID card in the victim’s name. Andujar represented that the victim’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number were his own. The application was granted, and Andujar was issued a replacement ID card bearing his photo with the victim’s name.

The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of misuse of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Andujar will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.