Felix Coc Choc, a 29-year-old Guatemalan national living in Rogers, Arkansas, has pleaded guilty to federal charges involving a fraudulent attempt to sponsor an unaccompanied alien child (UAC). The case highlights efforts by Joint Task Force Alpha and Operation Take Back America to target immigration-related fraud and smuggling.
Criminal Conduct and Guilty Plea
The charges stem from an application submitted to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in January 2023. According to the plea agreement:
Fraudulent Claims: Coc Choc falsely claimed to be the brother of a 16-year-old Guatemalan child who had entered the U.S. illegally.
Identity Theft: He used the name, birth certificate, and national identification card of another individual, J.C.J., to support his application.
Admission: Although he initially denied the fraud, he eventually admitted to the impersonation; subsequently, the ORR denied his sponsorship application.
Legal Charges and Penalties
Coc Choc pleaded guilty to two specific counts:
Making a False Statement: This carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Aggravated Identity Theft: This carries a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison.
Investigation and Prosecution
The sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge at a later date. This prosecution involved a wide network of agencies, including the HHS Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana.
Note: This case is cited as part of a larger initiative to combat transnational criminal organizations and high-impact human smuggling committed by cartels.
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