A Foxborough resident, Francisco Soares, was charged in federal court in Boston on May 6 with impersonating a federal immigration officer.
According to the criminal complaint, Soares allegedly told several Brazilian nationals that he worked for U.S. Immigration and offered to help them obtain U.S. citizenship for a fee. Authorities say he collected thousands of dollars from his victims while never having been employed by the U.S. government.
Soares, age 56, was charged with impersonating a federal officer on April 29 and arrested on April 30. He appeared in court on May 1 and was released under certain conditions pending further proceedings. In an earlier case from 2014, Soares had been convicted of similar charges in the same district court and sentenced to probation, home confinement, and ordered to pay fines and restitution.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and up to $250,000 in fines. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said the details contained in the charging documents are allegations: “The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.” Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts enforces federal laws through prosecutions involving national security threats and civil rights violations; it also advances community initiatives related to civil rights and violence prevention according to the official website. The office employs over 200 attorneys, paralegals, and professional staff across facilities at the John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse in Boston as well as branch offices in Springfield and Worcester.