A 24-year-old man from Venezuela, Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, is accused of posing as a high school student in Ohio. He managed to join the boys’ swimming team and participated in the state sectionals.
Perrysburg School confirmed that Labrador Sierra was part of their swimming and junior varsity soccer teams. In February, he took part in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events during the Ohio High School Athletics Association (OHSAA) Fremont B Sectional.
He competed under the name “Tony Labrador” and recorded a time of 29.10 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle, placing 11th overall. For the 100-yard freestyle, he finished again in 11th place, with a time of 1:07.35.
Reportedly, he registered at Perrysburg High School on January 11, 2024, using the identity of a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor, which aligns with federal regulations for such enrollments. Following a preliminary investigation, a fraud case was opened, leading to further inquiries by the detectives.
Labrador Sierra is facing forgery charges and is being held on a $50,000 bond. The local police were alerted to a potential issue by a school in the area on Monday. Through collaboration with US Customs and Border Protection as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the authorities uncovered his true identity.
Investigators discovered that he had used fake documents to enroll at the school and claimed to be a minor. Between January 11, 2024, and May 14, 2025, he managed to acquire various formal documents, including a state driver’s license and a Social Security number, complicating matters further. The school mentioned it had initiated a visa application to support his case.
Interestingly, the Department of Homeland Security has noted that Labrador Sierra was a visa overstay since 2019 and has been in the U.S. since then. He has denied the allegations as of May 15 but was arrested during a traffic stop this week.
In the wake of this incident, the school expressed concern, mentioning how the community stepped in to support those they thought were vulnerable students. There’s certainly a mixture of disappointment and pride in their response as trust was compromised.
Labrador Sierra’s court hearing is set for May 29.
