WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today filed
denaturalization lawsuits against five individuals who, according to the
Department’s complaints, unlawfully procured their United States citizenship by
concealing their sexual abuse of minor victims during the naturalization
process.
The civil complaints were filed in federal court in the
Eastern District of California, the District of Maryland, the Middle District
of North Carolina, and the Southern District of Texas (two cases).
“Those who wish to become American citizens ought to respect
our laws and seek citizenship lawfully and honestly,” said Attorney General
Jeff Sessions. “Anyone who lies, misleads, or omits critical information in an
attempt to evade the requirements for naturalization undermines the credibility
of our nation’s generous lawful immigration system. This Justice Department
will continue to seek out fraudsters and bring them to justice by obtaining
orders revoking their naturalized citizenship.”
The cases were referred to the Department of Justice by the
Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with investigative support
from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
“ICE is committed to collaborating with our sister agencies
within DHS to target individuals who conceal illicit activities in order to
obtain U.S. citizenship,” said ICE Deputy Director Thomas D. Homan. “When
special agents identify a child predator, exploiting the most innocent among
us, and other criminals who have defrauded the U.S. immigration system for
naturalization benefits, then ICE will move to have their citizenship revoked.”
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the citizenship
of a naturalized U.S. citizen may be revoked, and his or her certificate of
naturalization canceled, if such naturalization was illegally procured or
procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.
The five defendants committed crimes of sexual abuse of
minor victims prior to naturalizing. As the civil complaints allege, such
crimes rendered the defendants ineligible for citizenship at the time they
naturalized. By willfully concealing child sexual abuse crimes, the defendants
also independently rendered themselves subject to denaturalization.
A description of each of the five cases and the allegations
of the United States follows:
Ricardo De Leon
Ricardo De Leon, 32, a native of Mexico, naturalized on July
23, 2010. Before De Leon naturalized as a U.S. citizen, he sexually assaulted a
child under the age of 12. In July 2015, after he had naturalized, De Leon was
indicted, and in March 2017 he pleaded guilty in Texas state court to
committing aggravated sexual assault of a child in 2009. He was ordered to ten
years of community supervision and required to register as a sex offender. He
has been residing in Edinburg, Texas. United States of America v. Ricardo De
Leon (S.D. Tex.).
Christian Oribello Eguilos
Christian Oribello Eguilos, 40, a native of the Philippines,
naturalized on Nov. 6, 2013. For several years before filing his naturalization
application and throughout the naturalization process, Eguilos repeatedly
committed forcible lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14. In September
2015, he pleaded nolo contendere in California state court to four counts of
Forcible Lewd Act Upon a Child. Eguilos was sentenced to 40 years in prison and
ordered to register as a sex offender. He is incarcerated in Ione, California.
United States of America v. Christian Oribello Eguilos (E.D. Cal.).
Carlos Noe Gallegos
Carlos Noe Gallegos, 41, a native of Mexico, naturalized on
March 10, 2010. Before Gallegos naturalized as a U.S. citizen, he sexually
assaulted a seven-year-old child. In November 2016, after he had naturalized,
Gallegos was indicted, and in April 2017 he pleaded guilty in Texas state court
to committing aggravated sexual assault of a child in 2007. He was ordered to
six years of community supervision and required to register as a sex offender.
He has been residing in Alamo, Texas. United States of America v. Carlos Noe
Gallegos (S.D. Tex.).
Alwin Farouk Gariba
Alwin Farouk Gariba, 51, a native of Guyana, naturalized on
Feb. 29, 2000. After he applied to naturalize but while he was in the
naturalization process, Gariba repeatedly sexually abused a ten-year-old child.
In July 2000, only months after he had naturalized, Gariba pleaded guilty in
North Carolina state court to three counts of Taking Indecent Liberties with
Children. He was placed on 60 months’ probation and ordered to register as a
sex offender. He has been residing in Greensboro, North Carolina. United States
of America v. Alwin Farouk Gariba (M.D.N.C.).
Moises Javier Lopez
Moises Javier Lopez, 42, a native of the Republic of
Colombia, naturalized on March 22, 2013. Before filing his naturalization
application and throughout the naturalization process, Lopez sexually abused a
minor child. In August 2013, he pleaded guilty in Maryland state court to
Sexual Abuse of a Minor. He was sentenced to 25 years’ confinement, all but
four suspended. He has been residing in Gaithersburg, Maryland. United States
of America v. Moises Javier Lopez (D. Md.).
These cases were investigated by ICE, CBP, and the Civil
Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, District Court Section (OIL-DCS).
These cases are being prosecuted by OIL-DCS and its National Security and
Affirmative Litigation Unit (NS/A Unit) with support from the U.S. Attorney’s
Offices for the Eastern District of California, the District of Maryland, the
Middle District of North Carolina, and the Southern District of Texas.
The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and
there have been no determinations of liability.
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