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Visitor from Peru charged with stealing three identities for jobs in Kansas

USDOJ colorA woman from Peru who came to the United States in 2005 on a visitor’s visa has been charged with identity theft and document fraud.

Jennifer Leyva, 35, has lived in Wichita since at least 2013, and is alleged to have used at least three different identities to get jobs at several Wichita-area businesses. She was arrested Tuesday by agents of the Kansas Department of Labor and Homeland Security Investigations, which investigated the case.

U.S. Attorney for the Kansas District Tom Beall said Leyva was scheduled to make an initial court appearance Wednesday in federal court in Wichita.

A federal grand jury indicted Leyva March 16 on 10 counts, including two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of identity document fraud, two counts of lying of an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form, and four counts of misuse of a Social Security number. The charges relate to the defendant’s employment at health care-related businesses in Wichita.

If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

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