Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Passport and Social Security Fraud

BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with fraudulently using the identity of a U.S. citizen to apply for a passport and driver’s license.

Wagner Pimentel Soto, 41, who previously resided in West Roxbury, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in a passport application and two counts of fraudulent use of a Social Security number. U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for April 7, 2021.

According to court records, in February 2019, Pimentel Soto applied for a U.S. passport at a U.S. Post Office in Everett using the name and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen. In April 2018, Pimentel Soto applied for a Massachusetts driver’s license at the Haymarket branch of the Registry of Motor Vehicles in Boston. In support of his applications, Pimentel Soto submitted a variety of identity documents bearing the name, date of birth and Social Security number of the victim.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF),which is comprised of local, state and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.

The charge of making a false statement in a passport application provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and the charge of fraudulent use of a Social Security number provides for up to five years in prison. Both charges provide for up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; David Magdycz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.