Venezuelan Immigrant’s Identity Deception and Legal Troubles

In a troubling case of identity fraud that has shocked an Ohio community, 24-year-old Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra, an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, has pleaded guilty to serious federal charges after posing as a teenage high school student. On Monday, he admitted to falsifying immigration documents and lying on firearm purchase applications. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced that Labrador-Sierra could face up to 30 years in prison for his deception, which included enrolling at Perrysburg High School as a 16-year-old student using fraudulent documentation. The case raises important questions about verification systems in schools and immigration processes.

The elaborate deception began in January 2024 when Labrador-Sierra enrolled at Perrysburg High School under the guise of being a homeless, unaccompanied 16-year-old minor. School officials, following federal and state requirements for enrolling students experiencing homelessness or without legal guardians, accepted him into their community. Over the next several months, he became integrated into school life, joining both the junior varsity soccer and swim teams. What makes this case particularly concerning is how Labrador-Sierra managed to accumulate legitimate documentation through deceptive means. According to school officials, he worked with immigration attorneys to file for Temporary Protective Status, which was granted by U.S. Immigration Services. This official status provided him with an Ohio driver’s license, a Social Security card, and a work permit—all based on fraudulent information.

The human element of this story becomes even more poignant when considering the local family who took Labrador-Sierra into their home. These well-meaning community members believed they were providing shelter and support to a homeless teenager, even going so far as to obtain legal guardianship through the Wood County Juvenile Court. Their act of compassion was betrayed when they discovered information suggesting their ward was not a minor but rather a 24-year-old man. With this disturbing revelation, the guardians contacted school officials on May 14, 2025, triggering an investigation. When confronted by district administrators the following day, Labrador-Sierra reportedly denied the allegations about his true age and identity. His denial would prove short-lived as authorities began to piece together the extent of his deception.

Beyond the identity fraud that allowed him to attend high school, Labrador-Sierra’s case took an even more serious turn with firearms charges. Despite his status as an undocumented immigrant, which legally prohibited him from possessing firearms, he acquired a Taurus G3C 9mm semiautomatic pistol. According to the Justice Department, he submitted false information to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) during the purchase process. This dimension of the case significantly elevated the potential consequences, as firearms violations combined with immigration fraud carry substantial federal penalties. The illegal possession of a firearm by an undocumented immigrant represents a separate federal offense that compounds the severity of his legal situation.

Law enforcement finally caught up with Labrador-Sierra about a month after his deception was uncovered. He was taken into custody during a traffic stop on Interstate 75, bringing his elaborate scheme to an end. In court, he pleaded guilty to three serious charges: possession of a firearm by an alien, making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, and using false documents. These admissions confirm the breadth of his fraudulent activities, from misrepresenting himself to immigration authorities to circumventing federal firearms regulations. The case has drawn significant attention not only because of the audacity of the deception but also because it highlights potential vulnerabilities in systems designed to verify identities across educational institutions and government agencies.

This case emerges against the backdrop of heightened national debate about immigration policies and border security. Labrador-Sierra’s sentencing has been scheduled for January 23, 2026, where he will face the consequences of his actions. The community of Perrysburg continues to process the implications of having unknowingly integrated an adult man into their high school environment for months. For school administrators, the incident has likely prompted a reevaluation of enrollment verification procedures, particularly for students claiming special circumstances like homelessness or unaccompanied minor status. For the family who opened their home to someone they believed was a teenager in need, the betrayal of trust represents a painful personal aftermath to a case that has broader implications for institutional verification processes and immigration enforcement.