A man, whose true identity remains unknown, was arrested yesterday for allegedly using the stolen identity of a deceased individual to obtain government-issued identification documents, employment, and professional certifications. The individual, referred to as John Doe, of Quincy, has been charged with one count each of false statement in a passport application and aggravated identity theft. Following his initial appearance in federal court in Boston, Doe was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 29, 2024, at 2 p.m.
According to the charging documents, Doe used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a deceased victim who passed away in 2002. He allegedly obtained and used multiple government-issued identification documents in the victim’s name, including Massachusetts driver’s licenses, as well as copies of the victim’s birth certificate and Social Security card. Using these documents, it is alleged that Doe posed as the victim to apply for employment as a paramedic, obtain an EMT-Basic Certification, attend and graduate from a Firefighting Academy, and secure employment with the Melrose Fire Department. In March 2023, Doe applied for a U.S. passport using the victim’s stolen identity. However, a passport application for the victim had already been executed by the victim’s mother in 1989, and therefore, a passport was not issued to Doe.
The investigation revealed that facial recognition technology identified a second Massachusetts driver’s license issued to Doe under the name Truong Nguyen. According to the charging documents, Nguyen entered the United States from Vietnam in 1979 and was ordered deported in 1991 following a second-degree burglary conviction. Despite this, Nguyen was never physically deported. In 2010, Nguyen was arrested for embezzlement and larceny for allegedly stealing over $46,000 from the Norwell Firefighters Union while serving as an officer for the union.
The charge of making a false statement in a passport application carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and statutes governing the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The announcement of the arrest was made by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office; Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy; Melrose Police Chief Kevin M. Faller; Acting Melrose Fire Department Chief John White; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan; and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
