A 24-year-old Venezuelan illegal immigrant faces up to 15 years in prison after posing as a high school student in Ohio, obtaining a firearm, and defrauding immigration authorities by falsifying documents.
Key Takeaways
- Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra, a 24-year-old Venezuelan man, successfully enrolled in Perrysburg Schools in Ohio while pretending to be a teenager.
- Labrador-Sierra has been federally indicted on multiple charges, including illegal firearm possession, making false statements during a firearm purchase, and using fraudulent documents.
- He submitted a false birth date on applications for Temporary Protective Status and Employment Authorization, illegally acquiring a 9mm pistol in the process.
- The scheme was discovered when his court-appointed guardians reported his true age to school authorities in May 2024.
- Labrador-Sierra overstayed his visa after entering the U.S. in 2019 and could face up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted.
Venezuelan National’s Elaborate Deception Scheme
Federal authorities have charged Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra, a 24-year-old Venezuelan national, following a complex deception that allowed him to attend high school in Perrysburg, Ohio, while posing as a teenager. The scheme, which began to unravel last month, involved multiple layers of fraud, including falsified documents submitted to federal immigration authorities and local school officials. Labrador-Sierra’s ruse was sophisticated enough to fool school administrators, the juvenile court system, and even secure him placement with a local guardian family who eventually discovered his true age.
“A federal indictment has been issued in the case of a Venezuelan man who claimed to be several years younger than his real age and attended high school in Northwest Ohio,” stated the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
Firearms Charges and Immigration Fraud
The federal indictment reveals particularly concerning aspects of Labrador-Sierra’s activities while living under his false identity. While posing as a teenager, he illegally purchased and possessed a Taurus G3C 9mm semiautomatic pistol, despite his status as an alien unlawfully present in the United States. To accomplish this, he provided false information to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). His actions triggered a multi-agency investigation involving the Perrysburg Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, FBI Toledo Field Office, and ATF, with assistance from the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office.
“A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against 24-year-old Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela who was residing in Perrysburg, Ohio, where he also attended high school claiming to be a teenager until last month,” reported the DOJ.
According to immigration authorities, Labrador-Sierra submitted false birth date information on federal applications for Temporary Protective Status and Employment Authorization, documents that would have allowed him to remain in the United States legally through 2025. Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed Labrador-Sierra initially entered the United States legally in 2019 but overstayed his visa, making his continued presence in the country unlawful. An Ohio state charge of felony forgery was dropped as federal prosecutors took over the case.
School Enrollment and Discovery
Labrador-Sierra’s fraud began to unravel when his guardians, who had been appointed by the Wood County Juvenile Court, informed school officials about his true age. Prior to this revelation, he had successfully registered as a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor, participated in school sports teams, and integrated into the local community. When confronted by school administrators about the discrepancy, Labrador-Sierra denied the allegations, continuing to maintain his false identity until authorities became involved.
“The Perrysburg Police Department said last month that it had been contacted by the Perrysburg Local Schools about possible fraudulent activity involving one of its students,” stated the Perrysburg Police Department.
DHS investigators later located additional information under a slightly different spelling of his name. “DHS told Fox News they have located Labrador Sierra’s information under a different spelling of his name. They added that Labrador Sierra is a visa overstay who first came to the U.S. in 2019,” reported DHS officials.
Serious Legal Consequences
If convicted on all charges, Labrador-Sierra faces substantial prison time: up to 15 years for illegal firearm possession as an unlawful alien, 10 years for making false statements during a firearm purchase, and up to five years for using false documents. The case highlights significant vulnerabilities in America’s immigration and identification verification systems, particularly concerning when illegal immigrants can successfully integrate into sensitive environments like public schools while simultaneously acquiring firearms. President Trump has consistently advocated for stricter immigration enforcement and stronger border security to prevent exactly these types of security breaches.
