A Honduran national was sentenced for carrying a fake green card in Slidell, Louisiana, marking the conclusion of his case. Yefferson David Perez, 19, pled guilty to possession of a fraudulent immigration document and was sentenced on October 8, 2024, to time served along with a mandatory special assessment fee of $100, the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana reported.
The incident that led to the arrest revolved around a traffic stop where a U.S. Border Patrol agent, acting on a tip about a vehicle believed to contain an undocumented immigrant, stopped the car near Interstate 10. Encountering Perez as a passenger, he was asked to show identification, and in reply, he presented an apparent Lawful Permanent Resident card. A later examination by a forensic document examiner revealed his green card to be counterfeit, as reported by the United States Attorney's Office.
Judge Greg G. Guidry, who presided over the case, handed down the sentencing, which did not include additional jail time beyond what Perez had already served awaiting resolution. The quick disposition of the case signals the often-efficiency of the judiciary in matters where defendants enter a guilty plea.
The United States Attorney's Office lauded the efforts of the Border Patrol in its investigation leading to Perez's sentencing. United States Attorney Duane A. Evans issued a statement praising the "work of the United States Border Patrol, the mobile, uniformed law enforcement arm of United States Customs and Border Protection" for their pivotal role in this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri from the General Crimes Unit led the prosecution. The case against Perez appeared to hinge on the forensic analysis of his immigration document, solidifying the importance of specialized skills in the detection of such fraudulent activities.
