Dominican national sentenced for identity theft, illegal re-entry

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A Dominican national, who illegally re-entered the United States, was sentenced to three years in jail followed by three years of supervised release for identity theft and falsely representing his citizenship. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Odelin Enrique Medrano, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi. He was previously deported in December 2009, following his conviction on drug trafficking charges.

Medrano was also sentenced for intentionally making false statements to ICE HSI in an attempt to conceal his identity and illegal re-entry into the United States. Medrano pleaded guilty in April 2011 as charged in a five-count federal indictment.

According to court records, Medrano was arrested by Rhode Island State Police in September 2010, after he allegedly attempted to obtain an identification card at the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. He was allegedly using a Puerto Rican birth certificate bearing the name of a different individual and a counterfeit Social Security card.

ICE HSI investigators were assisted through the use of facial recognition software that determined that Medrano had been previously issued a Massachusetts identity document in his real name. The Warwick Police Department also provided forensic assistance in the investigation.

Medrano has been detained since his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in October 2010.