FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 17, 2007
RAUL HINOJOSA 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 Helena, on December 14, 2007, before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, RAUL HINOJOSA, a 39-year-old resident of Mexico and Livingston, appeared for sentencing. HINOJOSA was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 123 days, time served
- Special Assessment: $200
- Supervised Release: 2 years
HINOJOSA was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to misuse of a Social Security number to obtain a Montana driver's license.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On August 2, 2002, HINOJOSA used a false Social Security number on an application to renew a Montana driver's license that he had previously received through use of a false number.
A review of Montana Department of Justice (MDOJ), Motor Vehicle Division records in Helena revealed that, due to HINOJOSA'S use of a false Social Security number, the MDOJ issued a driver's license to him bearing his photograph.
A review of the Social Security Administration's records found that the Social Security number used by HINOJOSA to obtain a Montana driver's license was not, in fact, issued to him.
Records of HINOJOSA'S employers were reviewed and which revealed that HINOJOSA also used the same false Social Security number on at least one U.S. Department of Treasury tax form (W-4) and a U.S. Department of Justice Employment Eligibility Verification from (I-9) to gain employment in Montana.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that HINOJOSA will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, HINOJOSA 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 Elizabeth A. Horsman prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Montana Department of Justice/Montana All Threat Intelligence Center (MATIC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
