Woman charged with making and selling fake IDs, faces deportation
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CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) -
A 32-year-old west suburban woman -- an illegal alien from Nicaragua -- faces deportation and up to 15 years in prison after being charged with making and selling fake identity documents to other illegal aliens.
Allison Mendez of Melrose Park was arrested Wednesday and charged in a federal criminal complaint with selling false identification documents, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to court documents, between May 2012 and January 2013, Mendez sold nine sets of false ID documents on six occasions. A set included a counterfeit U.S. permanent resident card (green card) and a counterfeit Social Security card.
During the course of the investigation, cooperating witnesses posed as customers to place orders for false documents by sending Mendez a text message with the photo and biographical information they wanted on the documents, a release from ICE said. Mendez then delivered the completed documents, charging between $80 and $110 for a set, according to the complaint.
The complaint states that during a recorded conversation with one cooperating witness, Mendez said she'd been in the counterfeit document business for about 15 years, using a software program that could make Social Security, insurance and green cards, as well as drivers' licenses.
If convicted, Mendez faces up to 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. As an illegal alien from Nicaragua, she will also be placed into deportation proceedings upon conclusion of her criminal case, the release said.
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