BOSTON – A Dominican national was arrested and charged today in connection with fraudulently using the identity of a U.S. citizen.Alexander Villalona Diaz, 34, formerly of Lawrence, was charged with one count of false representation of a Social Security number. Following an initial appearance, Villalona Diaz was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 4, 2020.
According to the charging document, Villalona Diaz used the Social Security number of a U.S. citizen on Aug. 16, 2016 to fraudulently renew a Massachusetts driver’s license and, between September 2012 and June 2018, to apply for MassHealth benefits.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Tonya Perkins, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; Michael Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston