Feds: Melrose firefighter stole dead man’s identity

BOSTON (WPRI) — A man who served as a firefighter in Melrose has been charged with stealing the identity of his deceased cousin so he could stay in the country, according to U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy.

The man, whom Levy referred to as “John Doe,” was arrested Thursday and charged with making false statements on a passport application and aggravated identity theft.

Doe is accused of using his deceased relative’s name, birth date and Social Security number to obtain and use several government-issued identification documents in his name. Those documents included Massachusetts driver’s licenses and copies of the victim’s birth certificate and Social Security card, according to Levy.

Levy said Doe posed as his cousin Henry Huang, who died in 2002, to apply and train as an EMT. He also attended and graduated from the state’s fire academy before eventually getting a job with the Melrose Fire Department.

According to Levy, Doe’s ruse began to unravel in March 2023 when he applied for a U.S. passport under his stolen name. His application was rejected because his cousin’s mother had previously applied on his behalf in 1989.

Levy said an investigation using facial recognition also revealed that Doe had a second driver’s license issued in the name of Truong Nguyen.

Nguyen, originally from Vietnam, came to the U.S. in 1979 and was sentenced to deportation in 1991 for second-degree burglary, Levy said.

But Nguyen was never deported, Levy said. In 2010, he was arrested for stealing more than $46,000 while serving as an officer with the Norwell Firefighters Union.

Doe’s true identity remains unknown, but charging documents indicate that investigators believe his real name may be “Nguyen.”

Levy said Doe is due in court Thursday and has been ordered remanded in custody until his next court date on May 29.

Melrose Mayor Jennifer Grigoraitis confirmed that a firefighter was arrested and placed on leave as soon as the city was notified. She declined to comment further on the investigation, citing the city’s personnel policy.