Castillo
Medina
GOSHEN – Two people have been indicted in unrelated cases by an
Orange County grand jury on charges of felony immigration assistance services
fraud.
The two people, Byron Castillo, 36, formerly of Middletown, and Maria
Medina, 67, formerly of Wallkill, are also charged with grand larceny
and scheme to defraud.
It is alleged that Castillo defrauded five recent immigrants from Ecuador
by promising them that their relatives could get United States visas,
and provided them with false visa documents and plane tickets. The indictment
alleges that Castillo stole over $3,000 from at least five victims, and
that he selected his victims in whole or in large part because of their
national origin. Because of that, he was charged with grand larceny as
a hate crime and if convicted, faces up to five to 15 years in state prison.
He was indicted on five counts each of grand larceny as a hate crime and
immigration assistance services fraud, and one count of scheme to defraud.
Medina was indicted on four counts of grand larceny, scheme to defraud
and four counts of immigration assistance services fraud.
It is alleged that she defrauded at least four different recent immigrants
from Mexico and Columbia by making false promises concerning her ability
to expedite changes to their legal immigration status by providing them
with United States residency cards, called “green cards.”
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant DA Kerry Kolek.
Middletown City Police investigated Castillo’s case while the case
against Medina was investigated by the State Police.
Immigrants who wish to report being the victim of a crime, or who otherwise
need assistance in dealing with a criminal case in which they are the
victim, or who wishes additional information about the DA’s Immigrant
Affairs Initiative may call Counsel to the DA Robert Conflitti, who serves
as the Immigrant Affairs Coordinator, at 845-291-2050.
