Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Divisions
      • Atlanta
        • Atlanta Leadership
        • Atlanta Contacts
      • Caribbean
        • Caribbean Leadership
        • Caribbean Contacts
      • Chicago
        • Chicago Leadership
        • Chicago Contacts
      • Dallas
        • Dallas Leadership
        • Dallas Contacts
      • Detroit
        • Detroit Leadership
        • Detroit Contacts
      • El Paso
        • El Paso Leadership
        • El Paso Contacts
      • Headquarters
      • Houston
        • Houston Leadership
        • Houston Contacts
      • Los Angeles
        • Los Angeles Leadership
        • Los Angeles Contacts
      • Louisville
        • Louisville Leadership
        • Louisville Contacts
      • Miami
        • Miami Leadership
        • Miami Contacts
      • New England
        • New England Leadership
        • New England Contacts
      • New Jersey
        • New Jersey Leadership
        • New Jersey Contacts
      • New Orleans
        • New Orleans Leadership
        • New Orleans Contacts
      • New York
        • New York Leadership
        • New York Contacts
      • Omaha
        • Omaha Leadership
        • Omaha Contacts
      • Philadelphia
        • Philadelphia Leadership
        • Philadelphia Contacts
      • Phoenix
        • Phoenix Leadership
        • Phoenix Contacts
      • Rocky Mountain
        • Rocky Mountain Contacts
      • San Diego
        • San Diego Leadership
        • San Diego Contacts
      • San Francisco
        • San Francisco Leadership
        • San Francisco Contacts
      • Seattle
        • Seattle Contacts
      • St. Louis
        • St. Louis Leadership
        • St. Louis Contacts
      • Washington, DC
        • Washington Leadership
        • Washington Contacts
    • DEA Museum
    • Foreign Divisions
      • Africa
      • Andean
      • Caribbean
      • Europe
      • Asia Pacific
        • Asia Pacific Leadership
      • Middle East
      • North and Central America
      • Southern Cone
    • Operational Divisions
      • Aviation Division
      • Diversion Control Division
    • Wall of Honor
    • Contact Us
      • Submit a Tip
      • Extortion Scam
      • Public Affairs
      • Social Media Directory
  • What We Do
    • Law Enforcement
      • DEA Office of Training
        • Office of Training Programs
      • El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC)
        • Leadership
        • Mission
        • Services
        • Contacts
      • Forensic Sciences
        • Computer Forensics Program
        • Environmental Management
        • Laboratories
      • Intelligence
      • Operations
        • Administrative Law Judges
        • DEA Asset Forfeiture
        • Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program
        • HIDTA
        • OCDETF
        • State and Local Task Forces
    • Education and Prevention
      • DEA’s Family Summit
      • Operation Engage
      • Community Outreach
      • Red Ribbon
        • Kiki and the History of Red Ribbon Week
        • Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community
      • Just Think Twice
      • Campus Drug Prevention
      • Get Smart About Drugs
      • Operation Prevention
    • Drug Information
      • Drug Policy
      • Drug Scheduling
      • The Controlled Substances Act
    • News
      • Alerts
      • Press Releases
      • Most Wanted Fugitives
        • All Fugitives
      • Stories
      • Events
      • Speeches
      • Testimony
    • Campaigns
      • One Pill Can Kill
        • Partner Toolbox
        • Social Media Campaign
      • DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
  • Careers
    • Special Agent
      • Special Agent FAQs
      • Special Agent Job Announcements
    • Diversion Investigator
      • Diversion Investigator Job Announcement
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
      • Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements
      • Intelligence Research Specialists FAQs
      • Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist
    • Forensic Sciences Careers
    • Professional & Administrative Careers
    • Student & Entry Level Careers
    • How to Apply
      • Employment Requirements
      • Equal Opportunity Employer
      • How To Claim Veterans' Preference
      • Priority Consideration
      • Benefits
      • Veterans and People With Disabilities
  • Resources
    • Recovery Resources
    • Data and Statistics
      • Domestic Arrests
      • Staffing and Budget
    • FOIA
      • About FOIA
      • Contact DEA FOIA
      • Make a Request
      • What Happens After Making a Request
      • Requester Categories
      • Fees Charged
      • Fee Waiver
      • FOIA FAQ
      • FOIA Logs and Reports
      • FOIA Library
      • Additional FOIA Links
      • FOIA Exemptions
      • What Are Exclusions?
      • Privacy Act
      • Privacy Act Exemptions
      • Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • Victim Witness Assistance Program
      • Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

  • Get Updates
  • Scam Alert
  • Full Menu
  • English
  • Español

Main Menu

  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Mission
    • History
    • Divisions
    • DEA Museum
    • Foreign Divisions
    • Operational Divisions
    • Wall of Honor
    • Contact Us
  • What We Do
    • Law Enforcement
    • Education and Prevention
    • Drug Information
    • News
    • Campaigns
  • Careers
    • Special Agent
    • Diversion Investigator
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
    • Forensic Sciences Careers
    • Professional & Administrative Careers
    • Student & Entry Level Careers
    • How to Apply
  • Resources
    • Recovery Resources
    • Data and Statistics
    • FOIA
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • Victim Witness Assistance Program
  • Submit A Tip

Drug Enforcement Administration

William Bodner Special Agent in Charge
Los Angeles
@dealosangeles
November 03, 2011
Contact: Nicole Nishida
Phone Number: (571) 387-3136
For Immediate Release

More Than Two Dozen Identified In Massive Fraudulent Document Operation In Los Angeles

Ringleader and co-conspirators who supplied document-making materials to others across United States named in federal indictments

LOS ANGELES, CA - More than 300 law enforcement officers from federal and local agencies executed dozens of arrest and search warrants this morning relative to a multiple fraudulent document rings operating in Los Angeles and Riverside Counties, Northern California, Illinois and Texas, with connections to other states and Mexico. The document fraud rings supported a variety of criminal activity, announced Steven Martinez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, and André Birotte Jr., the United States Attorney in Los Angeles. The announcement was made on behalf of multiple departments whose investigators worked on the case, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as agencies in Illinois, Texas and elsewhere in California.

In two separate, but related operations, federal grand juries returned a series of indictments filed under seal charging several individuals with one or more of the following violations:

18 U.S.C. Section 1028(a)(5) B Possession of Document-Making Implements;

18 U.S.C. Section 1028(a)(8) B Trafficking in False Authentication Features;

18 U.S.C. Section 1342 B Using a Fictitious Name or Address;

18 U.S.C. Section 1546 B Fraud & Misuse of Visas, Permits, & Other Documents;

18 U.S.C. Section 371 B Conspiracy;

18 U.S.C. Section 1326(a), (b)(2) B Illegal Alien Found in the U.S. following Deportation

According to the indictments filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles and unsealed today, investigators have identified several false document manufacturing networks in the MacArthur Park section of Los Angeles and elsewhere. One of the main targets of the investigation is Alejandro Morales Serrano, who allegedly manufactures raw materials that are then used to manufacture false documents on a large scale from California and other states, including Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Illinois, and Michigan. The false documents generated by the rings included United States Permanent Resident cards, Social Security cards, Mexican Consular Identification cards, and driver’s licenses.

The indictment alleges the Serrano and other co-conspirators support the manufacture of false driver’s licenses for approximately 40 of the 50 states and within Mexico.

The investigation of Serrano identified additional subjects who were being investigated by other departments, including the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Long Beach Police Department, among others.

Serrano and his co-conspirators allegedly supply other manufacturers of false documents with hundreds of document-making implements, including sheets of plastic laminates bearing false authentication features. These features replicate legitimate ones used by the United States and Mexican governments to limit fraud. The investigation revealed that the plastic laminates, and other document-making implements supplied by Serrano and others over several years have been used to manufacture thousands of false documents. The indictment alleges that Serrano has been intercepted on a wiretap discussing the fact that he has been engaged in the false document business for more than a decade.

In the related case worked jointly by the FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, several individuals operating in the El Monte area were identified in a conspiracy to manufacture false documents with materials supplied by Serrano and other co-conspirators organization, including high quality laminates.

Evidence developed during the investigation revealed that the fraudulent documents were utilized by illegal aliens to gain employment, as well as other citizenship and residency related benefits. In addition, the operation supported a variety of criminal activity, in that the false documents were instrumental in the commission of credit and bank fraud, tax fraud, identity theft and pharmaceutical diversion schemes.

The indictments allege that the Serrano false document manufacturing ring produced raw materials for the manufacture of thousands of documents per month that were distributed in California and across the United States.

Those charged in the indictments are listed below:

Alejandro Morales Serrano, 45, of Los Angeles, CA

Maria Susana Garcia, 44, of Los Angeles, CA

Victor Hugo Ramirez, 43, of Los Angeles, CA

Senen Chavez Aparicio, 42, of West Covina, CA

Ricardo Castanon, identified in the indictment as “Vampiro,” 46, of Los Angeles

Vidal Perez, 50, of Los Angeles, CA

William A. Rodriguez, 28, of Los Angeles, CA

Martha Cortes, 45, of Moreno Valley, CA

Jesus Mendez Cruz, 39, Santa Maria, CA

Javier Perez-Herrera- of Illinois

Jose L. Rodriguez Ortiz, aka “Junior” - Illinois

Correa Luis Acevedo, 51, El Monte, CA

Alfredo Enriquez Bernal, 37, of East Los Angeles, CA

Gerardo Villagran Giezi, 36, of El Monte, CA

Daniel Dominguez Rosas, 36, of El Monte, CA

Armando Medina, listed in the indictment as “Barbas,” age unknown, of Los Angeles

Two individuals were arrested this morning for probable cause and will be charged in federal criminal complaints:

Anthony Little, 46, of Redondo Beach

Jose Antonio Espino Chavez, 52, of Los Angeles

An additional seven individuals charged in the indictments are considered fugitives and have not been identified in this document as they are actively being sought by the investigating agencies.

The following individuals were arrested on related state charges filed by the District Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles:

Cesar Vargas Santiago, 35, of Los Angeles, CA

Bobby Langley, 46, of Los Angeles, CA

Osayanse Abu Obaroghedo, 53, of Van Nuys, CA

Seventeen federal search warrants are being executed as part of today’s operation to seek evidence related to the manufacture of false documents. Although searches are continuing, significant seizures at various residences, other locations and of vehicles included plastic laminates used to produce the fraudulent documents, a variety of fraudulent documents, computers and other items used in the manufacture of the fraudulent documents.

Several individuals arrested are not legal residents of the United States and have been previously deported. These individuals may face additional immigration related charges.

If convicted, the defendants face statutory maximum sentences ranging from 15 years on the fraudulent document charges.

This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Agents and officers in Chicago, Houston and San Francisco assisted during the investigation and today’s operation.

As a result of today’s searches, several children were taken into protective custody by the Department of Children and Family Services.

The federal defendants will have initial appearances today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The federal defendants will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Locator

  • Who We Are
    • About
    • Domestic Divisions
    • Foreign Offices
    • Contact Us
    • DEA Museum
  • What We Do
    • Drug Prevention
    • Law Enforcement
    • Diversion Control Division
    • News
  • Careers
    • Overview
    • Special Agent
    • Diversion Investigator
    • Intelligence Research Specialist
  • Resources
    • Drug Information
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Equal Opportunity Employer
    • FOIA
    • Publications
    • Media Galleries
    • VWAP
  • Doing Business
    with the DEA
    • Overview
    • Current Vendors
    • Prospective Vendors
    • Security Clauses
    • Security Forms
    • Small Business Program
  • Policies
    • Accessibility, Plug-ins & Policy
    • Legal Policies & Disclaimers
    • No FEAR Act
    • Privacy Policy
    • U.S. Department of Justice EEO Policy
    • USA.gov
    • Whistleblower Protection
Home

United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DEA.gov is an official site of the U.S. Department of Justice
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram

DEA Contact Center

(202) 307-1000 info@dea.gov
Contact the Webmaster