Unauthorized migrant admits guilt after reportedly pretending to be a student in an Ohio school

Venezuelan Man Pleads Guilty to Deception Leading to Firearm Possession

A 24-year-old man from Venezuela has been accused of fraudulently posing as a teenager to enroll in a high school in Ohio. Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra pleaded guilty on Monday to providing false information on immigration forms and for a firearm application.

According to the Northern District of Ohio’s Attorney’s Office, Labrador-Sierra used counterfeit documents to register as a 16-year-old at Perrysburg High School. Prosecutors indicated that he might face a lengthy prison sentence, potentially up to 30 years.

He allegedly submitted an incorrect birthdate to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in 2024 and 2025 when applying for temporary protection status and work authorization. Furthermore, he is charged with illegally owning a Taurus G3C 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which he reportedly acquired by providing false information to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Officials from Perrysburg Schools stated that Labrador-Sierra enrolled on January 11, 2024, claiming to be an unaccompanied minor. This came under federal and state provisions aimed at assisting homeless individuals lacking legal guardians.

Between January and May 2025, the school noted that he obtained support and documentation, leading to further complications in his case. Labrador-Sierra allegedly worked with immigration attorneys to secure temporary protection status, granting him an Ohio driver’s license, social security card, and work permit.

During his time at the school, he was involved in extracurricular activities, including playing on the Junior Varsity soccer team and joining the swim team.

After concerns arose about his actual age, parents reported on May 14 that easy internet searches indicated he was, in fact, a 24-year-old. When confronted on May 15, Labrador-Sierra denied the claims.

He is scheduled for sentencing on January 23, 2026. The situation raises questions about how vulnerabilities in the system may have allowed such deceptions to occur.