Paducah, KY – On May 21 and May 22, 2026, federal law enforcement agencies arrested 13 illegal aliens in the Paducah area. Of those arrests, 8 had pending criminal arrest warrants after a federal grand jury in Paducah returned indictments on May 12 and April 14, 2026, for falsely using social security numbers during their employment verification. The illegal aliens not charged criminally will be held in ICE custody, pending removal proceedings and potential deportation.U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Acting Special Agent in Charge Norman Jenkins, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs made the announcement.According to the indictments, between June 23, 2021, and August 15, 2025, in McCracken County, eight of the illegal aliens completed USCIS I-9 forms to apply for and receive compensation for employment, knowing that the Social Security account numbers used on the forms were not assigned to them. Form I-9, officially called the Employment Eligibility Verification form, is required by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to verify both the identity and employment authorization of non-citizens hired for work in the United States. The following eight were charged by indictment for using a false social security number:Daniel Martinez Cruz, 22, a citizen of MexicoManuel Martinez Garcia, 32, a citizen of MexicoJoel Gomez, 36, a citizen of GuatemalaJuan Pastor Gonzalez, 36, a citizen of GuatemalaJulio Venture Hernandez, 29, a citizen of MexicoMarcelina Juarez-Vicente, 33, a citizen of GuatemalaRicardo Lopez, 23, a citizen of GuatemalaAna Osorio Louzado, 23, a citizen of SpainOn May 22, 2026, the 8 indicted defendants made initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of not more than 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “As alleged in the indictment, these illegal aliens lied about their status to gain employment and, thereby, took jobs from American citizens. This prosecution is part of our continuing effort to support President Trump’s mission to enforce American’s immigration laws and put Americans first.”“This investigation demonstrates our commitment to upholding the integrity of the nation’s employment and immigration systems,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting. “By uncovering and addressing the fraudulent use, our team has sent a clear message that those who attempt to circumvent federal law will be held accountable. This case underscores the importance of coordinated enforcement and collaboration in safeguarding American workplaces by combatting fraud in all forms.”“These arrests highlight our commitment to protecting the integrity of Social Security numbers and holding accountable those who misuse the identities of American citizens for unlawful employment,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant for the SSA Office of the Inspector General. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate identity fraud and protect the public from this type of criminal activity.”“These are not victimless crimes,” said ICE Louisville acting Assistant Field Office Director, Luis Aguirre. “Using fraudulent social security numbers to take jobs from American citizens hurts our communities and American workers…
Source: U.S. Department of Justice