A 24-year-old Venezuelan man who illegally possessed a firearm after posing as a teenager to enroll in an Ohio high school now faces up to 15 years in federal prison, exposing yet another alarming failure in America’s immigration enforcement system.
Key Takeaways
- Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, 24, posed as a 16-year-old to enroll in Perrysburg High School in Ohio while illegally staying in the U.S. after his visa expired.
- He has been federally indicted on multiple charges including illegal firearm possession, making false statements during a firearm purchase, and using fraudulent documents.
- Sierra obtained Temporary Protective Status and Employment Authorization by submitting false birth date information on federal applications.
- The scheme was only discovered when his guardians informed school officials about his actual age in May 2024.
- If convicted, Sierra faces up to 15 years in prison for his crimes, highlighting serious flaws in both school enrollment and immigration verification systems.
Adult Illegal Immigrant Successfully Posed as High School Student
Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, a 24-year-old Venezuelan national residing illegally in the United States, has been indicted on federal charges after posing as a teenage student at Perrysburg High School in Ohio. Sierra didn’t just deceive school officials—he obtained guardianship through the Wood County Juvenile Court, participated in school sports teams, and successfully integrated himself into the school community under the false pretense of being an unaccompanied 16-year-old minor. The brazen identity fraud continued until May 2024, when his guardians finally reported his true age to school administrators.
“A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against 24-year-old Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela who was residing in Perrysburg, Ohio, where he also attended high school claiming to be a teenager until last month,” said DOJ.
The case represents yet another failure of the Biden-Harris administration’s open borders policies that have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to enter and remain in the country without proper vetting or accountability. Sierra entered the United States legally in 2019 but overstayed his visa and remained in the country illegally, eventually establishing a new identity to access public education and other benefits meant for American citizens and legal residents. Even when confronted by school administrators about his true age, Sierra denied the allegations.
Illegal Firearm Purchase and Document Fraud
Beyond simply lying about his age, Sierra escalated his criminal activity by illegally obtaining a firearm. Federal authorities charged him with possession of a Taurus G3C 9mm semiautomatic pistol—a crime for someone unlawfully present in the United States. He also submitted false information to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to facilitate the purchase, compounding his legal troubles. The weapon acquisition raises serious safety concerns about who was his intended target in a school environment.
“A federal indictment has been issued in the case of a Venezuelan man who claimed to be several years younger than his real age and attended high school in Northwest Ohio,” said U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
Sierra’s web of deception extended to federal immigration authorities as well. He submitted fraudulent birth date information on applications for Temporary Protective Status and Employment Authorization for 2024 and 2025. Despite being in the country illegally, Sierra managed to obtain these protections by exploiting weaknesses in our immigration verification system. This case highlights the systemic failures that allow illegal immigrants to repeatedly break the law while enjoying the benefits and protections meant for those who follow proper legal channels.
Investigation and Potential Consequences
The investigation into Sierra’s activities has drawn the attention of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Perrysburg Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, FBI Toledo Field Office, and ATF, with assistance from the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office. An initial state charge of felony forgery was dropped to pursue the more serious federal charges. If convicted on all counts, Sierra faces up to 15 years in prison for illegal firearm possession, 10 years for making false statements during the firearm purchase, and an additional five years for using false documents.
“DHS told Fox News they have located Labrador Sierra’s information under a different spelling of his name. They added that Labrador Sierra is a visa overstay who first came to the U.S. in 2019,” stated by DHS.
This case exemplifies the security threats posed by lax enforcement of immigration laws and insufficient verification systems in our schools and government agencies. Despite having information about Sierra under a different spelling of his name, DHS failed to properly identify him as a threat or take action regarding his visa overstay status. The fact that a 24-year-old man could successfully pose as a teenager for an extended period while attending classes with minors exposes critical vulnerabilities in school enrollment procedures that must be addressed to protect American students.
