A Venezuelan national is currently facing federal charges after being arrested in El Paso for the alleged misuse of documentation, officials said. Identified as Alcides Jose Urrivari-Arape, the man was stopped by an El Paso County Sheriff’s Office deputy on February 24. After the involvement of U.S. Border Patrol agents, Urrivari-Arape reportedly presented what appeared to be a fraudulent U.S. Social Security card, according to court documents.
During the traffic stop, the suspect purportedly admitted to having paid $690 for the fake identification, purporting it to be legitimate and allowing him to legally remain in the United States. The charge, if proven, could potentially lead to a sentence of up to 10 years in a federal prison. A federal district court judge will later determine the appropriate penalty, taking into account U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. Tasked with the investigation are the U.S. Border Patrol and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Wang is handling the prosecution.
It's important to note that a criminal complaint is not an indicator of guilt and that Urrivari-Arape, like any defendant, is presumed innocent until proven to be otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. As per a statement released by the Western District of Texas’s office, no conviction has been made yet, and the due process of law will follow its course to conclusively determine Urrivari-Arape’s innocence or guilt.
