Illegal Immigrant Arrested for Fraudulent High School Enrollment
A 24-year-old man from Venezuela, identified as Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, was taken into custody in Perrysburg, Ohio for allegedly using false documents to enroll in a public high school.
Court documents indicate that he faces forgery charges and is being held on a $50,000 bond. Officials from the Perrysburg police were notified on Monday by the school about suspicions of fraud involving a student.
After an initial investigation, the case was referred to detectives for further examination.
Detectives collaborated with US Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, discovering that Labrador was indeed 24 and had posed as a 16-year-old student.
According to school authorities, he registered on January 11, 2024, using the name of an unaccompanied minor, in line with federal and state regulations for those experiencing homelessness.
Between January and May, the school noted that Labrador had managed to procure various documents, complicating the situation. This included a driver’s license, a Social Security number, and temporary protected status from US immigration.
The school reported that he had also completed a visa application with assistance from local advocacy groups, which offer free legal support.
By mid-May, parents alerted the school after hearing that Labrador was actually a 24-year-old man, not a minor as claimed.
When confronted by school district officials, Labrador denied the allegations.
The school reacted swiftly, instructing his guardian to remove him from school premises while the matter was further investigated. They described it as an unusual situation that involved multiple agencies at different levels of government.
The school expressed confidence in adhering to legal protocols concerning enrollment and in supporting individuals presenting themselves as unaccompanied minors, in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. They also acknowledged the crucial partnership with the Perrysburg Police Department in handling the incident.
Interestingly, Labrador was also a participant in the Junior Varsity Football and swimming teams, and the Ohio High School Athletic Association has been informed of the situation.
Labrador was eventually apprehended during a routine traffic stop on Interstate 75 on Tuesday afternoon.
The Department of Homeland Security revealed that there were records of Labrador under a slightly different name and confirmed that he had overstayed a visa since 2019. They also verified that he had received temporary protected status.
Presently, Labrador is being detained at the Wood County Jail and is set to appear in court on May 29th.
