A Sumner man has been charged by a federal court for allegedly living under a false identity for 27 years.
Roberto Manzano, 53, was charged with aggravated identity theft, falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen and using a false document. Manzano was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in the U.S. District Court in Tacoma, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Manzano allegedly began living under a false identity shortly after a California court issued a warrant for his arrest regarding a domestic violence-related assault and kidnapping charges in 1996. Manzano allegedly used a real person's identity without their knowledge, the release said.
A criminal complaint accuses Manzano of using the false identity for his employment with a logistics company in the Seattle area. He also allegedly used the identity to pass clearance checks required by the Transportation Security Administration so he could work at the company. A TSA agent noticed conflicting information in Manzano's recent application. The agent referred the matter to the Diplomatic Security Service for investigation, the release said.
In addition, Manzano is accused of using the false identity since 2004 to unlawfully vote in state and national elections, the release said.
If found guilty and convicted, the aggravated identity theft charge is punishable by a minimum of two years in prison on top of any other sentence imposed in the case. Falsely claiming U.S. citizenship is punishable by up to three years in prison. Using a false document is publishable by up to five years in prison, the release said.
