Indian pleads guilty to use of fake passport

PLATTSBURGH, NY – Manish Patel, 43, and a citizen of India, has pled guilty to use of a false passport.

According to United States Attorney Richard Hartunian, as part of his guilty plea, Patel admitted to presenting a forged Indian passport to Border Patrol agents in the early-morning hours of January 20, 2017.

Patel used the forged passport–which was in another person’s name, but bore Patel’s photograph–to fly from India to Toronto, by way of London, prior to illegally entering the US.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 16, 2017 before Senior United States District Judge Norman Mordue. Patel faces up to 10 years in prison and up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating the US Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case was investigated by the US Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.