A Venezuelan national has admitted to falsifying information on immigration and firearms acquisition forms. Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra, age 24, residing in Perrysburg, Ohio, entered a guilty plea to charges related to his misrepresentations on federal documents and his unlawful procurement of a firearm. Labrador-Sierra, who had falsely enrolled at a local high school, was indicted by a federal grand jury in June on multiple counts, including firearm possession by an illegal alien and making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
Yesterday, Labrador-Sierra acknowledged his guilt on all counts before U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp. The indictment detailed Labrador-Sierra's fraudulent submissions of an altered date of birth to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in 2024 and 2025. The deception extended to his high school enrollment, where officials learned of his true age and notified local authorities. According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Labrador-Sierra's conviction could lead to a maximum of 15 years in prison for the firearm possession offense alone.
The case unfolded after Perrysburg Schools reported to Perrysburg Police Department that Labrador-Sierra, purportedly a minor and a student, was in fact an adult. This revelation sparked an investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI Toledo Field Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection−Sandusky Bay Station, culminating in the charges. Labrador-Sierra's sentencing is set for January 23, 2026, where a federal district court judge will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines among other factors to determine the severity of his sentence.
This prosecution is a facet of Operation Take Back America, a broad enforcement operation aimed at staunching illegal immigration, dismantling cartels, and safeguarding communities from violent crimes. The initiative represents a concerted effort by the Department of Justice to employ its resources in targeting crimes associated with illegal immigration and transnational criminal activities. The Perrysburg case is actively prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Melching and Tracey Tangeman of the Northern District of Ohio, aligning with the objectives of the nationwide strategy.
