Ghanaian National Sentenced for Lying on Naturalization Application and Fleeing Country After Arraignment

BOSTON – A Ghanaian national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for making a false statement on an application for naturalization and fleeing the United States after being released on conditions from pretrial custody.

Richard Kyeremeh, 46, previously of Worcester, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 months in prison and three years years of supervised release. Earlier in the hearing, Kyeremeh pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement relating to naturalization and one count of committing contempt.

In February 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Kyeremeh on one count of making a false statement relating to naturalization and one count of aggravated identity theft. After his arraignment, Kyeremeh was released from pretrial custody on certain conditions, including that he not travel outside New England without permission from Pretrial Services.

In August 2019, Pretrial Services was unable to locate Kyeremeh. His roommate discovered a letter and sent it to Pretrial Services. The letter was an attempt to mislead authorities about Kyeremeh’s whereabouts. It said, “I am going back to Ghana because I can’t bear what is going on. I have not been myself after my arrest and I have decided to go back to Ghana to start at fresh.” In fact, Kyeremeh had fled on foot into Quebec from Champlain, N.Y.

In January 2020, Kyeremeh was located living and working in Ontario by Canadian authorities and was later extradited to the United States. In January 2021, the grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding a charge of contempt based on Kyeremeh’s flight to Canada.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, District 1, made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was also provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.