WASHINGTON: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office Field Operations officers arrested a man at the Lewiston Bridge after he falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen. On Sunday, Juan Jimenez Cortez, a 45-year old male, citizen of Mexico, presented an Illinois driver’s license bearing a different name and told the primary officers that he was a U.S. citizen. Cortez was referred for further inspection where fingerprints revealed his true identity.
CBP Office of Field Operations presented the case to the U.S. Attorney’s, Office who accepted it for prosecution. Cortez appeared before a federal magistrate where he was charged with aggravated identity theft and making materially false and fictitious statements to a federal officer. Cortez was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending his hearing. “This was an outstanding job by our front line officers,” said Acting Port Director Cary Frieling. “Identifying individuals who are in our country illegally and who present fraudulently obtained travel documents, is part of the important job our officers do to secure our borders and protect our community. We have an excellent working relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s office and together we can ensure these individuals face justice.” U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
