Document and Benefit Fraud

The goal of this operation was to arrest individuals perpetrating access device fraud through unauthorized cash withdrawals from victim Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

Elmer Edin Chavarria-Morales, 32, of Honduras, to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Chavarria-Morales entered a guilty plea on Aug. 28, 2024.

Oscar Manuel Inda-Duenas, 36, of Mexico, faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

ICE ERO officers in the Raleigh office initiated an investigation that led to Robert Davis, a previously naturalized United States citizen born in Malaysia, being convicted of naturalization fraud and sentenced to six months in prison.

Orlando Chavez, 43, a naturalized citizen of the United States born in Cuba and convicted child molester, was found guilty of naturalization fraud and using a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate.

Dorian Velasquez, 43, pleaded guilty to having unlawfully obtained his U.S. citizenship and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and automatic revocation of his citizenship.

Dilrabo Obidova, 36, was sentenced to a time-served sentence reflecting the time Obidova was detained pending trial and ordered immediate deportation to Uzbekistan with no option to apply for asylum or any other immigration relief.

If convicted, Gary Dale Thrasher, 56, faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on the bank fraud counts, a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment for the passport fraud offenses, and a two-year minimum mandatory term of imprisonment for aggravated identity theft.  

On March 20, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Robert Davis, a 67-year-old naturalized citizen of the United States, born in Malaysia, with naturalization fraud.

ERO designed and launched Operation False Haven in late 2019 to identify and target child sexual abusers and other egregious felons who were convicted after naturalizing for offenses they committed and concealed during the naturalization process.