Brazilian Fugitive Arrested in Port St. Lucie
Indicted on Immigration and Gun Possession Charges

Jeffrey H. Sloman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations; Harold Woodward, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, announced the indictment of Geraldo Ricardo Miranda, 43, of Port St. Lucie.

According to the affidavit in support of a criminal complaint filed on April 2, 2010, Miranda is a fugitive from justice in Brazil, where he faces homicide charges. Today, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment, charging Miranda with possessing a gun as an illegal alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g), making a false statement under penalty of perjury on a U.S. passport application, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1546(a), making false statements, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, and falsely representing himself as a U.S. Citizen, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 911.

According to the complaint affidavit, ICE agents received information that a fugitive named Geraldo Ricardo Miranda was living in Port St. Lucie, and was wanted for a homicide in Brazil. Subsequent investigation revealed that Miranda applied for and received a Florida driver’s license by supplying a fraudulent Commonwealth of Puerto Rico birth certificate, a social security card, a U.S. military DD-214 and a Brazilian Driver’s license. The investigation revealed that Miranda was born in Brazil and that he provided false documents to obtain his Florida driver’s license.

According to statements made in open court during Miranda’s April 12, 2010 detention hearing, ICE and FBI agents arrested Miranda on April 1, 2010 as he was leaving his Port St. Lucie home. During the arrest, agents recovered a .40 caliber Glock, and thirty-two .40 caliber Winchester cartridges from Miranda’s bedroom. According to the charging documents, Miranda is an illegal alien who cannot legally possess a gun.

“When international fugitives use fraudulent documents to gain entry in the United States it puts the safety of our citizens at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge John V. Gillies of the FBI’s Miami Division. “The market for counterfeit identification documents is a concern to law enforcement and we will continue to work with our partners to make it more difficult for criminals obtain them.”

If convicted, Miranda faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison on each count of being an illegal alien in possession of a gun and making a false statement on U.S. passport application; five years in prison on the count of making a false statement; and three years in prison on falsely representing himself as a U.S. citizen.

Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of ICE’s Office of Investigations in Ft. Pierce, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work on this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Lineberger.

An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.