Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CESAR ALVAREZ-ESPINAL (“ALVAREZ-ESPINAL”), a native of Honduras, pleaded guilty on February 20, 2025 to illegally using a social security number to qualify for employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
ALVAREZ-ESPINAL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
According to court documents, in November 2024, Homeland Security Investigations received information that certain individuals had used fraudulent Social Security cards in an initial application to obtain employment. Prior to finalizing employment with their prospective company, the individuals were required to report to the Gulf Coast Safety Council. The Gulf Coast Safety Council provides safety courses to applicants applying for work with companies that service petrochemical processing plants. On November 13, 2024, ALVAREZ-ESPINAL arrived at the Gulf Coast Safety Council office in St. Rose, Louisiana to complete the safety course. On that day, ALVAREZ-ESPINAL presented a fraudulent United States Social Security card bearing the name and United States Social Security number of a United States citizen, that he represented to be his own in order to obtain employment.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.