A citizen of Honduras has been charged by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh with violating federal immigration and fraud laws. Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti made the announcement, stating that the nine-count indictment involves Jose Antonio Mejia-Sarmiento, 66, as the sole defendant.
The indictment claims Mejia-Sarmiento was found in the Western District of Pennsylvania after being deported and removed from the United States three times between 1996 and 2016. This includes an instance following a felony conviction. Additionally, Mejia-Sarmiento is accused of making false statements to the Social Security Administration on four occasions between May 2024 and February 2025 by using another person's identification.
The law allows for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. According to the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the exact sentence would depend on the seriousness of the offenses and the defendant's prior criminal history.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is leading the prosecution. The investigation that resulted in the indictment was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.