A man was arrested today for using the identity of a deceased person to work for the fire department

A man whose true identity remains unknown was arrested yesterday for allegedly using the stolen identity of a deceased person to obtain government-issued identification documents, employment and professional certifications. The man, identified as John Doe of Quincy, was charged with making false statements on a passport application and aggravated identity theft. Following his initial appearance in federal court in Boston, Doe was ordered remanded pending a hearing scheduled for May 29, 2024 at 2 p.m.

According to charging documents, Doe used the name, birth date, and Social Security number of a deceased victim who died in 2002. He allegedly obtained and used several government-issued identification documents in the victim’s name, including Massachusetts driver’s licenses and copies of the victim’s birth certificate and Social Security card. Using these documents, Doe allegedly impersonated the victim to apply to become an emergency medical technician, obtain EMT-Basic certification, attend and complete a fire academy, and obtain employment with the Melrose Fire Department. In March 2023, Doe applied for a U.S. passport using the victim’s stolen identity. However, a passport application for the victim had been submitted by the victim’s mother as early as 1989, and as a result, Doe was not issued a passport.

The investigation revealed that facial recognition technology identified a second Massachusetts driver’s license issued to Doe in the name of Truong Nguyen. According to charging documents, Nguyen entered the United States from Vietnam in 1979 and was deported in 1991 after a conviction for second-degree burglary. Despite this, Nguyen was never physically deported. In 2010, Nguyen was arrested on embezzlement and theft charges for allegedly stealing over $46,000 while serving as an official with the Norwell Firefighters Union.

The charge of making false statements on a passport application carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of probation, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, to run consecutively with any other sentence imposed, up to one year of probation, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes governing sentencing in a criminal case.

The arrest was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy, Melrose Police Chief Kevin M. Faller, Acting Melrose Fire Chief John White, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan, and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The information contained in the indictment is an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Matt Seldon, BSc., is an editorial staff writer at HSToday. He has over 20 years’ experience in writing, social media and analytics. Matt has a degree in Computer Science from the University of South Wales in the UK. His diverse professional experience includes positions at the Department for Work and Pensions, as well as various responsibilities for a variety of companies in the private sector. Since starting his career, his professional roles have included writing and editing various blogs and online content for promotional and educational purposes. Matt has run various social media campaigns on topics related to promotional and educational issues throughout his career on platforms such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook and LinkedIn. His educational campaigns have covered topics such as public sector volunteering and personal finance goals.