3 Mexican Nationals Charged In Fake ID Trade For Retail Theft Merchandise By Venezuelan Migrants In Chicago

Three Mexican nationals arrested and charged with felony counts for providing fake IDs to Venezuelan migrants in Chicago for exchange of retail theft merchandise, the Cook County Sheriff's Office reported.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

February 1, 2024

Chicago, Illinois - On January 24, 2024, the Cook County Sheriff's Department executed a search warrant at the 2700 block of S. Hamlin Ave. in the Little Village neighborhood and recovered 483 fake IDs that included U.S. Permanent Resident cards, social security cards, permits and driver licenses from Mexico and various states of the U.S.. The fake IDs were provided to newly arrived Venezuelan migrants in exchange for for retail theft merchandise worth $20, $40 and $60, totalling $150, or for $150 in cash.

Three Mexican nationals, Facundo Donato Meneces-García, 51, Francisco Javier Otero-Rosas, 41, and Keneth Jareth Ulloa-Rodriguez, 19, were taken into custody and charged with multiple felonies for duplicating, manufacturing, selling fraudulent ID cards and permits.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart during a press conference on Tuesday said that an investigation was initiated when multiple newly arrived Venezuelan migrants were being taken into custody for retail theft and an increase of shoplifting incidents increased to over $40,000 in theft losses last December at the downtown area of Michigan Ave. and River North in Chicago.

The migrants arrested for retail theft told a similar confession, that they were told to steal certain retail merchandise for money to purchase or trade stolen merchandise for fake IDs in other to use for work. The stolen merchandise was then sold on the internet by the suspects.

A Cook County Sheriff's Office sting operation, which undercover deputies were able to purchase fake IDs led to the arrest of the three Mexican nationals.

The Cook County Sheriff's investigation confiscated documents with information of fake IDs sold to individuals, $7,200 in cash was recovered, control substance believed to be meth, multiple fake IDs and permits.

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA)

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