A resident of Leominster, Hector Eduardo Arias Mejia, 44, has pleaded guilty to passport fraud-related offenses in Boston federal court. Arias Mejia admitted to aggravated identity theft and making false statements in a U.S. passport application. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns has scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2025. A federal grand jury indicted Arias Mejia in December 2023.
Arias Mejia, a Dominican Republic citizen, fraudulently applied for a United States passport and a Massachusetts Real ID using the identity of a Puerto Rican resident. He supported his application with a Massachusetts driver's license featuring his photo but in the resident's name, accompanied by a corresponding Social Security card and Puerto Rican birth certificate.
On February 25, 2020, Arias Mejia used the stolen identity to apply for a U.S. passport at the Fall River post office, providing the Real ID and birth certificate in the resident's name. The passport was subsequently issued.
Law enforcement uncovered Arias Mejia's fraudulent activities while investigating dual government benefit claims in Boston and Puerto Rico. An inquiry revealed that the genuine benefits recipient in Puerto Rico was legitimate, whereas Arias Mejia was fraudulently claiming under the same name in Boston. Investigations indicate that Arias Mejia has been using the stolen identity since at least 2011.
The offense of making a false statement in a passport application could lead to a maximum ten-year prison term, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence, a $250,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release. Post-sentence, Arias Mejia is subject to deportation. Sentences follow U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and federal statutes.
The investigation was led by the Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, consisting of various state, local, and federal agency personnel. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Homeland Security Investigations New England's Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol announced the plea. Contributions came from several agencies, including Santo Domingo's Homeland Security Investigations, the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and others. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin is handling the prosecution.