St. Joseph Man Sentenced to 7 Years After Using Minnesota Man’s Identity for More Than a Decade

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — A St. Joseph man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison after admitting he used another man’s identity for more than a decade.

Romeo Perez-Bravo, 44, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to seven years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence includes two years for

aggravated identity theft and five years for illegal reentry following a previous felony conviction.

Federal prosecutors said Perez-Bravo began using a Minnesota man’s name, Social Security number and date of birth in 2009 to obtain employment and identification in Missouri.

The victim eventually discovered the identity theft after his wages were garnished and he began receiving IRS notices for tax debts tied to income he had not earned.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the victim estimated he had paid nearly $15,000 to the IRS and continued making payments on tax debt connected to Perez-Bravo’s use of his identity. Perez-Bravo was also ordered to pay restitution.

Federal records show Perez-Bravo had previously been deported three times and had prior convictions that included DWI offenses, domestic violence and felony offenses.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, St. Joseph Police Department and Olivia, Minnesota Police Department.

Sources: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri and KQ2.Read the federal sentencing announcement | Read the KQ2 report