FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
MARIBEL CASTELLANOS SENTENCED IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula, on October 16, 2007, before Judge William F. Downes, Chief Judge for the District of Wyoming, who was presiding for U.S. District Court Judge Donald W. Molloy, MARIBEL CASTELLANOS, aka Maribel Davilla, Maribel Castro and Maribel Arroyo-Rosario, a 43-year-old resident of Manhattan, appeared for sentencing. CASTELLANOS was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 25 months, with 5 months home arrest
- Special Assessment: $300
- Supervised Release: 3 years
CASTELLANOS was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to transferring false identification documents, aggravated identity theft, and the sale of social security cards.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
During March of 2004, agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement received anonymous calls that CASTELLANOS was selling Puerto Rican birth certificates from her residence in Manhattan.
Following further investigation and information, ICE agents arranged to purchase identification documents from CASTELLANOS with the assistance of a confidential informant. On September 2, 2005, the confidential informant purchased a Puerto Rican birth certificate in the name of Luis Joan Nieves de Jesus and a Social Security card from CASTELLANOS. The confidential informant purchased the birth certificate and Social Security card from CASTELLANOS for $1,700.
On September 7, 2005, the confidential informant purchased additional identification documents from CASTELLANOS consisting of a Puerto Rican birth certificate in the name of Juan Daniel Carrasquillo Medina and another Social Security card for $1,700.
Testimony would have established that both birth certificates were genuine birth certificates issued by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and had originated in Puerto Rico. Testimony would have also shown that the Social Security cards bore valid numbers issued by the Social Security Administration to persons other than CASTELLANOS.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that CASTELLANOS will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, CASTELLANOS does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Lahr prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
