In a recent case involving immigration and identity fraud, Antonino Resendiz Badillo, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that Badillo, aged 39, could be facing a minimum of two years in federal lockup, which would tack on to any additional prison time he receives. Though Badillo has pled guilty, a date for sentencing has not been scheduled as of yet.
Badillo was caught in the legal system for his actions against the E-Verify system, which employers can use to confirm their employees' eligibility to work in the United States. According to the plea agreement, E-Verify requires documents like a Social Security number and photo ID. From at least 2022 to May of this year, prosecutors say Badillo used another person's personal information to bypass the E-Verify system, committing felonies that include misuse of a Social Security number and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship for employment.
The investigation leading to Badillo's plea involved multiple federal and state agencies. Participants included Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration, and local law enforcement like the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray is handling the prosecution of Badillo's case.
