Court Sets Preliminary Hearing for Diego Ibarra at Initial Appearance

MACON, Ga. – Diego Ibarra, a Venezuelan citizen charged with possessing a fraudulent green card in Athens, Georgia, on Feb. 23, will have a standard preliminary hearing regarding probable cause and the government’s motion to detain on Thursday, March 7, at 10 a.m., as ordered by a U.S. Magistrate Judge at his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon.

Diego Ibarra, 28, of Venezuela, is charged by criminal complaint with possession of a fraudulent document. If convicted, Ibarra faces a maximum of ten years in prison. Diego Ibarra is the brother of Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, of Venezuela, who is facing state charges for malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another in the homicide of Laken Hope Riley.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with critical assistance from FBI, GBI, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, University of Georgia Police Department and Clarke County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case.

A complaint is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.