CEDAR RAPIDS – A Guatemalan woman who came to Iowa and used other persons’ social security and alien registration numbers to obtain a job was sentenced to more than three months in federal prison.
Juana Corio-Brito, age 20, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 2, 2018, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents.
At the guilty plea, Corio-Brito admitted she used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” when she completed an employment form on March 16, 2018, using a fake name at a business in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Social Security number and the Alien Registration number on the “green card” had been issued to other persons.
On January 13, 2018, Corio-Brito and her minor child were encountered by Customs and Border Protection agents in Texas after they illegally entered the United States. Corio-Brito was released to maintain family unity pending immigration proceedings. Corio-Brito was told to report to the ICE office in Cedar Rapids where she was placed on GPS monitoring. A review of GPS data indicated that Corio-Brito was probably employed illegally at a business in Cedar Rapids. ICE agents confirmed the illegal employment and obtained the employment documents.
Corio-Brito was sentenced on October 10 in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Corio-Brito was sentenced to 100 days imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Corio-Brito is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
