Venezuelan man who enrolled at an Ohio high school pleaded guilty to lying about age on immigration forms
A Venezuelan national who enrolled at an Ohio high school on belief that he was a minor has pleaded guilty to lying on immigration forms and on applications to purchase a firearm, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio says.
The case involving Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra got national attention after it was discovered this spring that he enrolled at Perrysburg High School near Toledo, and was assigned guardianship in the Wood County court system, on the belief that he was an unaccompanied minor.
Instead, he was actually an adult.
According to the indictment, the defendant submitted a false date of birth to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on federal applications for Temporary Protective Status and Employment Authorization Documents in 2024 and 2025.
Perrysburg school officials said that once they received information that he might have enrolled under false pretenses, they immediately involved law enforcement.
A federal grand jury later issued a four-count indictment charging Labrador-Sierra with possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States, making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, and two counts of making or using false writings or documents.
He pleaded guilty to all charges Sept. 22, the district attorney's office said.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 23. The potential penalties are up to 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm by an alien; up to 10 years in prison for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm; and up to five years in prison for using false documents.