A Venezuelan man living illegally in Perrysburg, Ohio, has been sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to lying on immigration forms and firearm purchase applications. U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp sentenced Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra, 24, following his guilty plea in September to three charges: possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States, making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, and making or using false writings or documents.
Labrador-Sierra also received three years of supervised release. After serving his sentence, he will be taken into administrative immigration custody under a detainer from the United States Border Patrol.
The indictment states that Labrador-Sierra provided a false date of birth on federal applications for Temporary Protective Status and Employment Authorization documents in 2024 and 2025. Investigators learned about the situation when Perrysburg Schools reported concerns to local police about a student’s identity at Perrysburg High School. Authorities determined that Labrador-Sierra was not a minor but had enrolled as a student using false information.
Multiple agencies participated in the investigation, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection−Sandusky Bay Station, FBI Toledo Resident Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the City of Perrysburg Police Department. The Wood County Prosecutor’s Office provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Melching and Tracey Tangeman prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
