PRESS NOTICE

W. WALTER WILKINS

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA

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1441 Main Street * Suite 500 * Columbia, SC 29201 * (803) 929-3000 *

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March 19, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT PERSON: KEVIN F. McDONALD (803) 929-3000

GREER COUPLE PLEADS GUILTY TO MAKING AND SELLING FALSE IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS

          

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Gerardo Torres, age 44, and Maria Velazquez, age 36, both of Greer, South Carolina, pled guilty today in federal court in Anderson, to making and transferring false identification documents, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028. Senior United States District Judge G. Ross Anderson, Jr., accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence reports which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence established that in the late Summer of 2008, acting upon information from a tipster, the FBI, working with SLED and the Greer Police Department, introduced a Spanish speaking operative to Torres and Valesquez at their Greer residence. On September 13, 2008, the operative provided the couple with a photograph of a SLED agent and for $550.00 purchased false documents in a false name including a Social Security card, a Permanent Resident card, an Employment Authorization Card, a Mexican Driver's license, a North Carolina identification card, and a North Carolina identification card.

The operative returned one week later with a photograph of an FBI Agent, and for $350.00 purchased more false documents in another false name including a Social Security card, a Permanent Resident card, a Mexican birth certificate, and a North Carolina driver's license.

Mr. Wilkins stated the maximum penalty the couple can receive is a fine of $250,000.00 and imprisonment for 15 years.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Law Enforcement Division, and the Greer Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney William C. Lucius of the Greenville office handled the case.