Illegal Alien, Manuel Maria German Familia of Lawrence Pleads Guilty to Misusing a Social Security Number

BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to fraudulently using another person’s Social Security number.

Manuel Maria German Familia, 30, who previously resided in Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Sept. 30, 2021. German Familia was arrested and charged on Feb. 9, 2021.

German Familia admitted to fraudulently using a Social Security number that was assigned to someone else in an application at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in 2016.

The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to 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.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Billerica Police Department and Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III, of Mendell’s Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.