NEW YORK – A New York City
man was sentenced in federal court to six years in prison for impersonating
a federal immigration officer to defraud victims in New York and Connecticut.
In March, November and December 2015, Juan Nieves, 49, passed himself off in Orange County and in Hartford County, Connecticut as a federal immigration officer capable of providing assistance in the immigration matters of his victims and their family members. He claimed he was a “boss” or “chief” with US Immigration, that he worked at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan and had several employees working for him and that he signed the final paperwork that permits an individual to enter the United States or orders an individual to be deported.
Nieves offered to help the victims and their family members with their immigration paperwork and in return demanded and received thousands of dollars in so-called fees.
In addition to prison time, Nieves was sentenced to three years of supervised release and to pay $15,000 in restitution.
