CEDAR RAPIDS – A man who illegally returned to the United States and lived in Clarion while using false documents to obtain employment was sentenced today to fourteen months in federal prison.
Roberto Cruz-Rivera, age 37, an illegal alien living in Clarion, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 12, 2015, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents, one count of misuse of a social security number, and illegal reentry into the United States by a felon.
The evidence showed that Cruz-Rivera was deported from the United States in July 2009 after having been convicted in Iowa of forgery, a felony offense. The forgery conviction involved the possession of two fraudulent permanent resident cards and a fraudulent social security card using a false name. In September 2009, Cruz-Rivera was convicted in Texas of illegal entry into the United States and again deported on October 5, 2009. Cruz-Rivera was apprehended upon illegally reentering the United States three more times and was again deported on October 9 & 10, 2009, and again on the 15th. After that date, Cruz-Rivera illegally reentered the United States and in April 2010, Cruz-Rivera used a fraudulent permanent resident card in his name and a social security number to gain employment in Iowa. However, the account numbers on the permanent resident card and social security account were assigned to someone else.
Cruz-Rivera was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Cruz-Rivera was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $300 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cruz-Rivera is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.