FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 17, 2008
OMAR ZEPEDA-DIAZ PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings on July 17, 2008, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, OMAR ZEPEDA-DIAZ, a 33-year-old citizen of Mexico, pled guilty to trafficking/fraud related to government documents. Sentencing is set for August 20, 2008. He is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On March 10, 2005, ZEPEDA-DIAZ and another individual negotiated with an undercover federal officer for the purchase of an I-688B Form for $5,000 cash. An I-688B Form is a document prescribed by statute or regulation that once issued could allow ZEPEDA-DIAZ to stay in the United States or be authorized to be employed in the United States during the time period stated thereon. ZEPEDA-DIAZ paid the undercover agent $2,500 in cash for the purchase of the I-688B Form to be issued in his name with a balance of $2,500 due.
On June 8, 2005, the other individual, on behalf of ZEPEDA-DIAZ, paid the additional $2,500 cash balance due to the undercover agent for the I-688B Form issued in ZEPEDA-DIAZ'S name and given to ZEPEDA-DIAZ.
ZEPEDA-DIAZ faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Seykora prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
