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NEW ORLEANS–Rudy Gunawan, age 40, a citizen of Indonesia, pleaded guilty on May 11, 2021 before U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to a one-count indictment that charged him with possession of fraudulent immigration documents, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans. Gunawan faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than ten (10) years, three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.  Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2021.

According to court documents, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents received information that Gunawan was in the United States illegally and using a Social Security card bearing the name and number of another person. On September 28, 2020, CBP agents encountered Gunawan at his place of employment, Samurai Sushi (Slidell, Louisiana). An agent asked for identification and Gunawan produced a U.S. Social Security card.

Gunawan claimed to be a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico. He admitted that he knew the U.S. Social Security card was falsely made and that he had obtained the card from an individual in Memphis, Tennessee for $700. Gunawan also admitted that the name and number on the card were not lawfully issued to him and that he purchased the fraudulent documents in order to  be able to stay within the United States and work.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection and Social Security Administration agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.