Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to U.S. Passport Fraud

PROVIDENCE – A Colombian national living in Central Falls, RI, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence today to false statements in a passport application.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, Carlos Tabares, 55, admitted to the Court that he knowingly and willingly made false statements on a U.S. passport application in February 2009.

Tabares admitted to the Court that he fraudulently used the name of Freddie Adams Pena and his place of birth as being Yauco, Puerto Rico.

After the issuance of a passport, a subsequent investigation by the U.S. Department of State – Diplomatic Security Service determined Tabares’ true identity and place of birth, Antioquia, Columbia.

Prior to his arrest on August 16, 2018, Tabares used the passport to travel to and from Columbia.

Tabares, who is detained in federal custody, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2019.

False statement in a passport application is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years in federal prison followed by up to 3 years supervised release.

Tabares’ guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State – Diplomatic Security Service.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.