CEDAR RAPIDS – A man who used another person’s name and Social Security number to get a job was sentenced today to over two months in federal prison.
Jose Hernandez-Benitez, age 32, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 5, 2019, guilty plea to one count of misuse of a social security number.
In a plea agreement, Hernandez-Benitez admitted that on March 25, 2018, he used someone else’s name and social security number on employment forms and state and federal tax forms when applying for work in Waterloo, Iowa. Hernandez-Benitez worked under that person’s name until he was arrested by immigration officials on October 22, 2019, after they stopped a vehicle leaving the business believed to contain individuals in the United States illegally. Hernandez-Benitez admitted to being in the United States illegally.
Hernandez-Benitez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hernandez-Benitez was sentenced to 72 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hernandez-Benitez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he 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.
