An illegal immigrant, who authorities said tried to pass himself off as a high school student in Ohio, has been indicted on four charges by a federal grand jury.

Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra, 24 — who has been living in Perrysburg, Ohio, and first entered the country in September 2019 — faces charges of possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States, making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, and making or using false writings or documents, according to a Justice Department news release.

Labrador-Sierra had been claiming he was a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor when he first showed up in Perrysburg. He was later arrested in May on a forgery charge, according to WTVG in Ohio.

The news release said, Labrador-Sierra is accused of submitting a false birth date to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on federal applications for Temporary Protective Status and Employment Authorization documents.

A federal grand jury indicted Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra for allegedly falsifying records about his identity and illegally buying a gun. https://t.co/eIEudrPqET

— CW 43 (@ClevelandCW43) June 25, 2025

Labrador-Sierra owned a Taurus G3C 9mm semiautomatic pistol, according to the indictment against him, which he was able to get by submitting false information to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

If convicted, Labrador-Sierra could face up to 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm by an alien; 10 years in prison for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm; and up to five years in prison for making or using false writings or documents.

Labrador-Sierra was placed into the custody of the Wood County court system and enrolled in school in 2024; he even played sports at the school he attended, according to CBS.

In May, his host family, which had assumed guardianship over him, was told he was actually a 24-year-old and father of the woman’s child, according to CNN.

The woman sent them multiple photos and other pieces of information confirming that Labrador-Sierra was not who they believed he was.

24-Year-Old Venezuelan Busted for Pretending to Be 16 at School

A 24-year-old Venezuelan man, Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, was arrested in Perrysburg, Ohio, for posing as a 16-year-old high school student. He enrolled at Perrysburg High School using a fake Venezuelan birth… pic.twitter.com/pVCi6MbPyO

— Police Incidents (@PoliceIncident) May 21, 2025

Perrysburg Township Police later arrested Labrador-Sirra and charged him with forgery.

At the time, a police report said he was riding in a vehicle with the woman who revealed his identity to the family that had taken him into their home.

In May, Republican state Rep. Haraz N. Ghanbari said in a statement that the facts of the incident “raise deeply concerning questions about systemic vulnerabilities within federal immigration and identification systems.”

“It is becoming increasingly clear that this incident reflects a catastrophic breakdown at the federal level — one stemming from the previous administration’s lackadaisical and negligent approach to immigration enforcement and border security,” the statement said.

“The safety and security of our communities depend on the integrity of our systems. I remain committed to working with local, state, and federal officials to ensure accountability and implement reforms that prevent this from ever happening again.”

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