Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Immigration Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - David Cuevas, 45, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty today to fraud and misuse of a lawful Permanent Resident Card.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 30, 2019, Cuevas fraudulently possessed and used information from a Permanent Resident Card issued in the name of another individual to apply for an individual explosives license from the West Virginia Office of the State Fire Marshal. Cuevas admitted that he knew the information on his explosives application was false and that he submitted the other individual's Permanent Resident Card with the application. Cuevas further admitted that he sought the explosives license to assist him in his employment laying a pipeline in Greenbrier, Nicholas and Fayette counties for a construction company.

Cuevas is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the West Virginia Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the West Virginia Fusion Center.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case, and former Assistant United States Attorney Stefan Hasselblad previously handled the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-177.

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