SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers arrested two aliens over the weekend trying to elude detection by using fraudulent documents during separate incidents at the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport.
Claudia Lopez-Piza, a citizen of Ecuador, and Solemar Nunes-De Lima, a citizen of Brazil, made an initial appearance Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Mc Giverin, for several violations of federal law.
Ms. Lopez-Piza faces charges under 18 USC 911, for falsely impersonating a United States citizen, and under 18 USC 1542, for making a false statement in the use of a passport.
Mr. Nunes-De Lima faces charges under 8 USC 1326, for illegally reentering the United States after a previous removal or deportation.
On Mar. 22, Ms. Lopez-Piza provided CBP Officers a US passport under the name “Elizabeth Robles Agron,” claiming to be a US citizen born in Puerto Rico, before boarding a flight to Panama.
Referred to secondary inspection, her biometric information revealed a prior 1996 immigration encounter. The name of “Elizabeth Robles Agron” was queried and matched a criminal record in Puerto Rico.
On Mar. 23, Mr. Nunes-De Lima provided CBP Officers with a Puerto Rico driver’s license under the name “Victor Ortiz-Claudio,” before boarding a flight to New York.
During secondary inspection, his biometric information revealed that on March 2006 he was removed after being denied admission into the United States at the Miami International Airport. In May 2017 he was found and removed from North Charleston, South Carolina, and apprehended again in August 2018 in Rio Grande, Texas.
Assistant US Attorney Ginnette Milanes is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Puerto Rico.
If convicted, Ms. Lopez-Piza faces imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or a fine, or both.
If convicted, Mr. Nunes-De Lima faces imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or a fine, or both
All defendants are innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.