COLUMBIA, S.C. — Ricardo Gonzalez Bahena, 43, an illegal alien residing in Graniteville, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for identity theft and passport fraud. Gonzalez Bahena, a Mexican national, will be deported after serving his sentence.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Gonzalez Bahena was working at the Savannah River Nuclear Site under a false identity. During his employment, he attempted to obtain an increased security clearance, but investigators discovered inconsistencies during the background investigation. Thereafter, they uncovered his scheme. On two separate occasions, he also attempted to apply for a U.S. passport in Augusta, Georgia using the same false identity. The stolen identity belonged to a vulnerable adult and American citizen in Puerto Rico who has never left Puerto Rico. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Gozalez Bahena to 24 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Bahena was also ordered to pay $35,695 in restitution to the victim. This case was investigated by the Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is prosecuting the case.