| | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2025 | Kevin Nash
(410) 209-4946
| MARYLAND MAN INDICTED FOR THEFT OF
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND PASSPORT FRAUD Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Jorge Echeverri, 73, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, charging him with theft of government property, false statements, passport fraud, social security misuse, and false statement of citizenship. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Michael S. McCarthy, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); David Richeson, Special Agent in Charge Department of State, Diplomatic Security (DSS), Washington Field Office; and Collen Lawlor, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) – Philadelphia Field Division. According to the indictment, Echeverri, a Colombian national, illegally entered the United States in 1972. He was deported three times, but unlawfully re-entered the United States for a fourth time between 1985 and 1987. Echeverri, who used a fraudulent birth certificate from Puerto Rico to create a fraudulent identity, then began living as a U.S. citizen named Pedro Torres Rivera. Under the Rivera identity, Echeverri unlawfully applied for and received retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration from May 2010 thru January 2025. Additionally, Echeverri applied for a U.S. Passport, voted in the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections, and misused a Social Security number. If convicted, Echeverri faces up to 10 years for passport fraud and up to 10 years for theft of government property. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI's Document Benefit Fraud/El Dorado Task Force, DSS, and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. # # # |
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