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NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane Evans announced today that Theresa Wood (“Wood”) pled guilty as charged on August 5, 2021 to count one of an indictment for false statements in a passport  application in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1542 before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon.

According to papers signed by Wood, she made an application for a U.S. passport for her minor child using information belonging to another individual. It is a crime to lie on a passport application.  Wood convinced a co-worker, who resembled the father of her minor child, to fraudulently claim to be the father at the signing of the application before a notary.  The application would then be submitted to the State Department. Wood faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment cost on the false statement charge. Sentencing is set for November 18, 2021.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Diplomatic Security Service of the State Department in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.