Diplomatic Security Investigation Results in 112 Suspects Charged with Federal Passport Fraud

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security’s San Francisco and Los Angeles Field Offices and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Sacramento Field Office announced today the results of Operation Deathmatch, the largest ever investigation into the issuance of fraudulently obtained United States passports.

Between July 2005 and August 2008, 112 individuals were charged with federal passport fraud and related offenses around the country. The government also seized three firearms, $650,000 in cash, one Mercedes automobile, and over 80 of the fraudulently obtained United States passports.

During their investigation, Diplomatic Security and FBI agents cross-matched computerized government death records with Department of State passport records. This process identified individuals who fraudulently applied for, and obtained, United States passports using birth certificates of deceased Americans.

Most of the individuals charged were arrested or surrendered themselves to federal courts. Some of the imposters remain fugitives. The passport fraud charges were filed in 23 federal judicial districts in 16 states. Federal passport offenses carry a penalty of up to 10 years confinement in federal prison.

The individuals charged included fugitives, military deserters, delinquent taxpayers, parolees, convicted felons, sex-offenders, habitual drunk drivers, and undocumented immigrants from over 20 countries. All wanted U.S. passports for the purpose of hiding from law enforcement authorities. Many of the individuals charged resided and worked in their deceased identities for decades, and in many cases their neighbors, employers, spouses and children never knew them by their true names.

The names of the individuals identified in the investigation are listed below and are sorted by federal prosecutor, along with selected facts reported in court proceedings and records:

Northern District of California – San Francisco (U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello)
MATTHEW FORRISTAL of Berkeley, CA, aka the deceased ROBERT YOUNG
RAFAEL RUVALCABA of Baypoint, CA, aka the deceased MAURICIO JIMENEZ
CONCEPCION RUEGES of Belmont, CA, aka the deceased CATHY LEE ALLEN (*)
ROBERT RUIZ of Brentwood, CA, aka the deceased ROBERT RUIZ (*)
ARMAMDO ESTRADA of Fremont, CA, aka the deceased RICHARD BELTRAN
ANGEL OROPEZA of Fremont, CA, aka the deceased JOSE GAMBOA
VERONICA MARIN of Foster City, CA, aka the deceased NANCY GOMES
RAMON INIGUEZ of Gilroy, CA, aka the deceased JUAN CID
RAYNALDO GUERRA of Hayward, CA, aka the deceased ANTONIO CAQUIAS
BRADFORD BUFKIN of Marin, CA, aka the deceased DANIEL LAGOY
JOHN WHITE of Mountain View, CA, aka the deceased KENNETH VOISINET
JOSE FAJARDO of Napa, CA, aka the deceased RAYMOND SANTANA
ROXANNE MISTRY of Oakland, CA, aka the deceased TERRI STOTTLEMIRE
RUBEN GARCIA of Oakland, CA, aka the deceased EFRAIN ORTIZ
BRYAN JONES of Oregon, aka the deceased DAVID MARCUM
ANTONIO REZA of Oxnard, CA, aka the deceased GERARDO AVILA
RUSSELL MAGDYTCH of Roseville, CA, aka the deceased DANIEL GOODMAN
WILLIAM JONES of Santa Cruz, CA, ala the deceased CARY JONES
DARRELL FISK of Santa Rosa, CA, aka the deceased THOMAS MILLER
JADEBLUE ECLIPSE of San Francisco, CA, aka the deceased CATHERINE IZOU
ROBERT VARGAS of San Francisco, CA, aka the deceased ABEL VARGAS
SAUL JUAREZ of San Francisco, CA, aka the deceased DAVID NAGLE
AMAPAL SINGH of San Jose, CA, aka the deceased JAMES SANCHEZ
HENRICK HANSEN of San Jose, CA, aka the deceased GERALD NYREEN
LEONARDO ZAVALA of San Jose, CA, aka the deceased MAXIMILIANO FLORES
JOSE MARTIN-CHACON of San Jose, CA, aka the deceased GEORGE MURO
ANTONIO FLORES of San Jose, CA, aka the deceased GEORGE MARTINEZ
SERGIO RAMOS HINJOSA of San Jose, CA, aka the deceased CARLOS TORRES
ROBERT MCMARTIN of San Jose, CA, aka the deceased CHARLES KAISER
FRANCISCO CASTELANOS of San Pablo, CA, aka the deceased AURELIA URVINA
JOHN DOE of Santa Rosa, CA, aka the deceased MANUEL URIAS (*)
MARIA CORTEZ-NAJERA of Sunnyvale, CA, aka the deceased MARIA BARRAGAN MARIA LLAMAS of Tracy, CA, aka the deceased JOSEFINA SERRANO
JOSE ZUNIGA-TORRES of Watsonville, CA, aka the deceased PEDRO ROSALES
CHRISTOPHER CLARKSON of Weston, FL, aka the deceased STEPHEN DUFFY

Eastern District of California - Sacramento/Fresno (U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott)
GARY VINCENT of Antelope, CA, aka the deceased MILES HALEY
ALAN CAMPBELL of Atwater, CA, aka the deceased THEORDORE STREETER
REYES TOPETE of Exeter, CA, aka the deceased JOSE MATUS
CYRIL OWENS of Fort Jones, CA, aka the deceased EUGENE BISHOP
CRISTOBAL PEREZ of Fresno, CA, aka the deceased DANIEL RIVAS
MARIANN GUARDADO of Fresno, CA, aka the deceased DIANA CHAVEZ
JOSEPH AJAYI of Fresno, CA, aka the deceased BENEDICT AJAYI
JANE DOE of Lake Tahoe, CA, aka the deceased ROSALES RAMIREZ (*)
DANIEL HENDERSHOT of Las Vegas, NV, aka the deceased ARNIE FIGONE
GUSTAVO PONCE of Los Angeles, CA, aka the deceased CARLOS ARBIZO
RAMON MUNOZ formerly of Porterville, CA, aka the deceased LUIS ROBLES

Central District of California - Los Angeles (U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O’Brian)
JORGE VILLAR of Beverly Hills, CA, aka the deceased KEITH QUINZEL (*)
JANE DOE of Covina, CA, aka the deceased ESTHER MEDINA (*)
JAVIER RIOS of Las Vegas, NV, aka the deceased RODOLFO LUJAN
FREDY OUVED of Los Angeles, CA, aka the deceased JUSTIN BLUE WILSON
GUILERMO CORCUERA of Los Angeles, aka the deceased RUBEN GOMEZ
SANDRA ZELAYA of Los Angeles, CA, aka the deceased JANICE SHERMAN
SILVIANO PINEDA of Los Ángeles, CA, aka the deceased CARLOS LOPEZ
RUDOLF PICHLER of Los Angeles, CA, aka the deceased ERIC EVANS (*)
STEVEN KEITH of Los Angeles, CA, aka the deceased STEPHEN MITCHELL
MARTIN RUEBEN of Manhattan, NY, aka the deceased LONNIE KAUFMAN ARMAN HARTOUSH of Newport Beach, CA, aka the deceased MICHAEL SLOAN
MARTHA LETOURNEAU of North Hills, CA, aka the deceased CATHERINE EVANS
TERESA OROZCO of North Hollywood, CA, aka the deceased NORA CHAIDEZ
JAIME CABRERA of Reseda, CA, aka the deceased JAMES SANCHEZ
JESUS HUERTA of Santa Barbara, CA, aka the deceased MICHAEL LUCERO
ENRIQUE ARVISU of Santa Ana, CA, aka the deceased IGNACIO MALDONADO
MARIA ELENA DE RIOS of Southgate, CA, aka the deceased ISELA MONTES
FRANCISCO REYES of Thousand Oaks, CA, aka the deceased ROLANDO REYES
RAFAEL ARAJUO of Wilmington, CA, aka the deceased JOEL DURAN

Southern District of California – San Diego (U.S. Karen P. Hewitt)
BENJAMIN HERNANDEZ of Chula Vista, CA, aka the deceased FELIPE CAMPOS (*)
CHARLES WARNICK of El Cajon, CA, aka the deceased JAY WARNICK
JULIO DAVILA of Los Angeles, CA, aka the deceased IGNACIO SANDOVAL
ROBINN MARTINN of Palos Verdes, CA, aka the deceased KIMBERLY DAVICH
JUAN REYES-TOVER of Reseda, CA, aka the deceased JOSE YNOSTROS
MARK PITCHES of San Diego, CA, aka the deceased MARK WARNER
MAGIN GUTIERREZ of San Diego, CA, aka the deceased THOMAS AYALA
JOSE FLORES of San Diego, CA, aka the deceased REYNALDO ZAMORA (*)
JANE DOE of San Ysidro, CA, aka the deceased CYNTHIA CLEMENS (*) ROBERT BRUNSON of Washington State, aka the deceased STEVEN ANUNDSON

Western District of Washington – Seattle (U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Sullivan)
NATHAN WATERS of Burlington, WA, aka the deceased WILLIAM WINGARD
VICTOR ROJAS of Everett, WA, aka the deceased ARTHUR QUIJAS
RAUL LOPEZ of Seattle, WA, aka the deceased ROMAN FRANTELA
KERRY SMYTHE of Wyoming, aka the deceased HAROLD ADDINGTON
SEAN O’MARA of Seattle, WA, aka the deceased MICHAEL CHURCH

District of New Hampshire – Portsmouth (U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Colantuono)
CHIH-FONG CHEN of Atherton, CA, aka the deceased LORENA LEW
THOMAS DOUGLASS Jr. of Bakersfield, CA, aka the deceased EARL HUNTER
DENNIS HAMMONS of Medford, OR, aka the deceased ROBERT HAMMONS
ROBERT CITROEN of Palm Desert, CA, aka the deceased NOAH RICHARDSON
ROGER SCHILLEWART of San Diego, CA, aka the deceased DAVID KENT

District of Nevada – Las Vegas/Reno (U.S. Attorney Gregory A. Brower)
PHILLIP MANIATIS of Incline Village, NV, aka the deceased DAVID SMITH
PAUL JENSEN on Incline Village, NV, aka the deceased JEFFREY SMITH
DANIEL MAZZA of Reno, NV, aka the deceased ROBERT YOUNG
MARIA LOPEZ-ROSALES of Reno, NV, aka the deceased LUPE MENDOZA
ROBERT MARTIN of Salt Lake City, UT, aka the deceased BONNER CODY
EDWARD GOOLD of San Diego, CA, aka the deceased DAVID CHAPMAN

Northern District of Georgia – Atlanta (U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias)
BERNARD RENZ of Michigan, aka the deceased GARY WUEST
HANNALORE RENZ of Michigan

District of Colorado – Denver (U.S. Attorney Troy A. Eid)
JOHN CHOI of Manhattan, NY, aka the deceased STEPHEN LEE
JOHN DOE of Silt, CO, aka the deceased JACK PEREIDA

Southern District of Florida – Miami (U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta)
MARK MOWATT of Brooklyn, NY, aka the deceased DENNIS DESMEUCHET
GEORGE ENGLAND of Fort Lauderdale, FL, aka the deceased STEPHEN SEAGOE
BRAULIO MENDOZA of Miami Beach, FL, aka the deceased GERARDO LEDESMA
CHRISTOPHER CLARKSON of Weston, FL, aka the deceased STEPHEN DUFFY

Eastern District of New York – Brooklyn (U.S. Attorney Benton J. Campbell)
PATRICK LYNCH of the country of Jamaica , aka the deceased JONATHAN JAMES
JAMES ESTES of Los Angeles, CA, aka the deceased JEFFREY SEELIG

District of New Mexico – Albuquerque (U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Fouratt)
WILLIAM DICKAU of Tijeras, NM, aka the deceased JERRY COPE

Northern District of Illinois – Chicago (U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald)
GILBERTO FERNANDEZ REYES of Mexico, aka the deceased JOHN MARTINEZ

Western District of North Carolina - Charlotte (U.S. Attorney Gretchen C. F. Shappert)
EUDALDO GUITERREZ of Charlotte, NC, aka the deceased ALEJANDRO REGLADO

District of Kansas - Wichita (U.S. Attorney Eric F. Melgren)
TED FLOYD of Lakewood, NJ, aka the deceased NATHANIEL LEVI

District of Oregon – Portland ( U.S. Attorney Karin J. Immergut)
JOSE COBIAN of Portland, OR, aka the deceased JOSE MENDOZA

Southern District of Texas – Laredo ( U.S. Attorney Donald J. DeGabrielle, Jr.)
JUAN CABRERA-ALCOCER of Indiana, aka the deceased SERGIO CABRERA

Northern District of Texas – Dallas ( U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper)
BARRY WOOD of Dallas, TX, aka the deceased AARON ADAMS

Southern District of New York – Manhattan (U.S. Attorney Michael J. Garcia)
JOHN CHOI of Manhattan, NY, aka the deceased SHERMAN CHAN

Northern District of Iowa – Cedar Rapids (U.S. Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth)
MARINO MEDINA-VALENCIA of Waterloo, IA, aka the deceased JOSE CEBALLOS

Middle District of Florida – Orlando (U.S Attorney Robert E. O'Neill)
WAI TAK MA of Ormand Beach, FL, aka the deceased ADAM JOHN LEE

Middle District of Tennessee – Nashville (US Edward M. Yarbrough)
JOHN DOE a/k/a J.G. of St. Louis, MO, aka the deceased JESUS GARIBAY

(*) Denotes Current Fugitive who remains Wanted on Federal Passport Charges

HIGHLIGHTED CASES

JADEBLUE ECLIPSE of San Francisco, CA, aka the deceased CATHERINE IZOU. ECLIPSE, an alleged undocumented acrobat from Japan, was arrested in August of 2006 at a San Francisco café. ECLIPSE pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense, but fled before her scheduled sentencing in January of 2007. ECLIPSE remains a fugitive.

MATTHEW FORRISTAL of Berkeley, CA, aka the deceased ROBERT YOUNG. FORRISTAL, a 16 year deserter from the United States Navy’s Enterprise Aircraft Carrier, was arrested in September of 2006. FORRISTAL pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to probation in November of 2006. FORRISTAL also resolved his status with the Navy.

CHRISTOPHER CLARKSON of Weston, FL, aka the deceased STEPHEN DUFFY. CLARKSON, a 32 year Canadian drug fugitive and member of the “Stopwatch” heist gang, was arrested in October of 2005. CLARKSON pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to 14 months in prison in May of 2006. $500,000 and a Mercedes automobile were also seized from CLARKSON, and he was extradited back to Canada.

MARTHA LETOURNEAU of North Hills, CA, aka the deceased CATHERINE EVANS. LETOURNEAU, a Canadian citizen and ex-wife of fugitive CHRISTOPHER CLARKSON, was arrested in October of 2005. LETOURNEAU pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to probation in March of 2006.

JOHN WHITE of Mountain View, CA, aka the deceased KENNETH VOISINET. WHITE, a convicted drunk driver who admitted in court that he wanted to conceal this from employers, was arrested in February of 2006. WHITE pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to probation and community service in January 2007.

DANIEL HENDERSHOT of Las Vegas, NV, aka the deceased ARNIE FIGONE. HENDERSHOT, a previously convicted armed bank robber from Sacramento, was arrested in September 2007. HENDERSHOT pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to time served (approximately two months) in prison in December 2007.

NATHAN WATERS of Brulington, WA, aka the deceased WILLIAM WINGARD. WATERS, a 25 year King County fugitive who allegedly stole $140,000, was arrested in September 2007. WATERS’ pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to time served (approximately 8 months) in prison in May 2008.

KERRY SMYTHE of Wyoming, aka the deceased HAROLD ADDINGTON. SMYTHE, a previously convicted child sex offender, was arrested in February 2008. SMYTHE’s federal passport case is in progress.

CHIH-FONG CHEN of Atherton, CA, aka the deceased LORENA LEW. CHEN, a Chinese citizen, was arrested in April 2006, at her place of employment, the Jocelyne J. K. Lew Immigration Law Firm. CHEN pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to probation in April 2007.

DENNIS HAMMONS of Medford, OR, aka the deceased ROBERT HAMMONS. HAMMONS, a previously convicted federal felon for manufacturing and distributing drugs, was arrested in June 2006. HAMMONS’ pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and awaits sentencing.

GEORGE ENGLAND of Fort Lauderdale, FL, aka the deceased STEPHEN SEAGOE. ENGLAND, a 28 year fugitive for sexual assault in California, was arrested in May 2005. ENGLAND pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to 14 months in prison in September 2005. SEAGOE was also returned to California.

WILLIAM DICKAU of Tijeras, NM , aka the deceased JERRY COPE. DICKAU, a previously convicted felon concerning weapons, was arrested in January 2008. DICKAU pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and awaits sentencing.

ENRIQUE ARVISU of Santa Ana, CA, aka the deceased IGNACIO MALDONADO. ARVISU, a Mexican citizen, was arrested in September 2006. ARVISU pleaded guilty to a related immigration offense was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment in March 2007.

ROBERT BRUNSON of Washington State, aka the deceased STEVEN ANUNDSON. BRUNSON, a 21 year fugitive for drugs in South Carolina, was arrested in June of 2007, while trying to re-enter the United States at a San Diego border checkpoint. BRUNSON pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to time served (approximately nine months) in March 2008.

DANIEL MAZZA of Reno, NV, aka the deceased ROBERT YOUNG. MAZZA, a delinquent taxpayer owing over $140,000, was arrested in December 2007. MAZZA pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to three years probation in May 2008.

ROBERT CITROEN of Palm Desert, CA, aka the deceased NOAH RICHARDSON and the deceased WILLIAM BURROLA. CITROEN, a licensed California attorney involved in financial and identity crimes, was arrested in August 2007. CITROEN pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to home-confinement in March 2008. CITROEN also forfeited $150,000 under related federal seizure laws.

BRADFORD BUFKIN of Marin, CA, aka the deceased DANIEL LAGOY. BUFKIN, a convicted drug offender in Thailand who was completing his sentence in the United States through a prisoner exchange, self-surrender in August of 2006. BUFKIN’s federal passport case is in progress.

BRYAN JONES of Oregon, aka the deceased DAVID MARCUM. JONES, a convicted child sex offender, was taken into federal custody in June 2008. JONES’ federal passport case is in progress.

GARY VINCENT of Antelope, CA, aka the deceased MILES HALEY. HALEY, a former 15 year fugitive from an Idaho drug conspiracy, was arrested in November 2007. VINCENT pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to six months imprisonment in March 2008.

BARRY WOOD of Dallas, TX , aka the deceased AARON ADAMS. WOOD, a parolee, was arrested in August 2007. WOOD pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to twenty-seven months imprisonment in April 2008.

BERNARD RENZ of Michigan, aka the deceased GARY WUEST. RENZ and his wife HANALORE RENZ, both German citizens, were arrested in May 2008, while trying to re-enter the United States at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport. HANALORE RENZ pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to five years probation in June 2008. BERNARD RENZ’ federal passport case is in progress.

Dr. JOHN CHOI of Manhattan, New York, aka the deceased SHERMAN CHAN and the deceased STEPHEN LEE. CHOI, a Medical Doctor, was arrested in December 2005, and charged with obtaining two false passports. CHOI pleaded guilty to federal passport offenses in both Colorado and New York, and was sentenced to a combined four years of probation and 100 hours of community service. CHOI also agreed to not practice medicine during his probation.

ROBINN MARTIN of Ranchos Palos Verdes, CA, aka the deceased KIMBERLY DAVICH. MARTIN was arrested while trying to re-enter the United States at the San Diego border checkpoint. MARTIN’s federal passport case is in progress.

EDWARD GOOLD of San Diego, CA, aka the deceased DAVID CHAPMAN. GOOLD was arrested in September 2007, while trying to re-enter the United States at Las Vegas’ Airport using a fraudulently obtained passport. GOOLD admitted to having a false identity to avoid paying alimony and taxes. GOOLD pleaded guilty to a federal passport offense and was sentenced to two years of imprisonment in July 2008.

-----

www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page