ERO New Orleans investigation leads to convicted child sexual abuser’s indictment for naturalization, passport fraud

GULFPORT, Miss. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) New Orleans officers initiated an investigation that led to the indictment of a convicted child sexual abuser.

On April 23, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging former Mexican citizen Felix Aguilar-Matias with naturalization and passport fraud. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years of imprisonment per count as well as the automatic revocation of his U.S. citizenship.

According to the indictment, on March 5, 2015, Aguilar fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by making false statements under oath regarding his naturalization application. He answered “No” in response to the question “Have you ever committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were not arrested?” He likewise denied having ever forced anyone to have any kind of sexual contact or sexual relations. Aguilar subsequently used his fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate to obtain a U.S. passport.

On June 15, 2020, Aguilar was convicted in Mississippi state court of sexual battery and touching of a child for lustful purposes. He confessed to having committed the crimes from Aug. 1, 2010, to Dec. 31, 2010. The victim was under 16 years old. Aguilar was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and mandated to register as a sex offender. He is currently in Yazoo County Regional Correctional Facility in Yazoo City. Related court records are available on PACER under case number 1:24-cr-00036.

“This indictment is the result of the outstanding work of our ERO officers, who remain committed to ensuring the integrity of our nation’s naturalization process,” said ERO New Orleans Field Office Director Mellissa Harper. “This case highlights the significant and important work ERO employees put into protecting the communities we serve, and upholding our immigration laws and preventing noncitizens from using fraud to obtain residency in the U.S.”

ERO officers initiated the investigation as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative launched in late 2019 to target people who sexually abuse children and other egregious felons who were convicted after naturalizing for offenses they committed and concealed during the naturalization process.

Since its inception, Operation False Haven has gradually evolved from a single district initiative to one that now encompasses multiple judicial districts. The scope has likewise broadened beyond naturalization fraud to include defendants who fraudulently obtained a broad range of immigration benefits. To date, the initiative has successfully produced criminal and civil cases against defendants convicted of serial rape, child sexual abuse, incest, sodomy, child sexual abuse material, kidnapping, sex trafficking, murder and narcotics trafficking.

For more news and information on how ERO New Orleans carries out immigration enforcement mission in Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ERONewOrleans.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)