Two Guatemalan citizens living in Carthage have been sentenced in connection with the $5 million conspiracy to provide more than 3,500 fraudulent identity documents to illegal immigrants.
Also this week, a St Joseph woman pleaded guilty to being a ringleader of the conspiracy, which was centered at the St Joseph license office.
Another man living in Carthage also pleaded guilty.
Nelson Dariseo Bautista-Orozco, a citizen of Guatemala who is unlawfully in the United States and resided in Carthage, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner Thursday to three years and six months in federal prison without parole.
Ranfe Adaias Hernandez-Flores, also known as “Miguel,” 23, also a citizen of Guatemala who is unlawfully in the United States and resided in Carthage, was sentenced on Wednesday to two years in federal prison without parole.
They are each jointly and severally liable for a $5,250,000 money judgment, which represents proceeds from the conspiracy.
Sherri E. Gutierrez, 46, of St. Joseph, Mo., pleaded guilty on Wednesday, April 10, to being a leader or manager of the conspiracy to transport illegal immigrants, to unlawfully produce identification documents, to unlawfully transfer another person’s identification and to commit Social Security fraud from November 2009 to January 2012.
Elder Enrique Ordonez-Chanas, also known as “Flaco,” 31, also a citizen of Guatemala who is unlawfully in the United States and resided in Carthage, pleaded guilty on Monday, April 8, to participating in the conspiracy. The government contends that Ordonez-Chanas is also a leader or manager of the conspiracy. In addition to the conspiracy, Gutierrez and Ordonez-Chanas each pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft.
Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
Under federal statutes Gutierrez and Ordonez-Chanas are subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole for conspiracy, plus a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison without parole for aggravated identity theft, plus a fine up to $500,000.