Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud

BOSTON - A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to passport fraud.

Adolfo Santana Gonzalez, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of misuse of a Social Security number and one count of making a false statement in an application for a United States Passport. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 4, 2018.

In November 2016, Santana Gonzalez, using the identification and Social Security number assigned to another individual, submitted an application for a U.S. passport at a U.S. Post Office in Worcester in that individual’s name. 

The charge of misusing 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. 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 $250,000. Santana Gonzalez will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. U.S. Customs and Border Protection provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.