U.S. Department
of Justice
Venezuelan Citizen Pleads Guilty to Possessing Fraudulent Green Card
MACON, Ga. – A Venezuelan citizen admitted to possessing a fraudulent green card in federal court today and will be sentenced in October.
Diego Ibarra, 28, of Venezuela, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a fraudulent document before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. Self, III on July 15. Ibarra faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine per count. Ibarra remains in federal detention. His sentencing date is scheduled for Oct. 7. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Diego Ibarra admitted to possessing a counterfeit United States Permanent Resident Card in the name of Diego Jose Ibarra in Athens, Georgia, on Oct. 27, 2023, and Feb. 23, 2024.
His sibling, Argenis Ibarra, 24, and former roommate, Rosbeli Flores-Bello, 29, both of Venezuela, are charged by federal indictment with two counts each of possession of a fraudulent document and face a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by up to three years of supervised release and a $250,0000 fine per count. An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to the filed indictment, Argenis Ibarra and Flores-Bello are alleged to have each possessed a fraudulent United States Permanent Resident Card and a counterfeit United States Social Security Card in the names of Argenis Jose Ibarra Ibarra and Rodrianny Brito Brito respectively on Feb. 23, 2024, in Athens. Argenis Ibarra had his initial appearance in Macon on July 11, and was detained. Flores-Bello’s detention hearing is scheduled for July 16, in San Antonio, Texas.
A federal grand jury returned the superseding indictment charging all three co-defendants on June 11, 2024; the indictment was unsealed on July 2, 2024.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with critical assistance from FBI, GBI, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, University of Georgia Police Department and Clarke County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.