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SALT LAKE CITY -- He didn't want to go to prison, so instead he opted to get deported. And he faked a district judge and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into believing he was an illegal immigrant.
Now, that man is facing charges for the alleged lie.
Court documents show 27-year-old Jaime Alvarado was arrested on Feb. 24, 2010, on a drug charge - distribution of a controlled substance. At the time, Alvarado identified himself as Saul Quiroz, once again used the name before a judge, and said he was from Mexico and in the United States illegally.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported the supposed Quiroz to Mexico.
Alvarado "admitted that he created the false name of Saul Quiroz-Hernandez and claimed to be a Mexican national in order to avoid a lengthy prison term." - Court document
The man surfaced in Utah again in February of this year, during an arrest over a warrant related to his previous case.
He admitted to an ICE special agent he was in fact Alvarado, a U.S. citizen, and he used his U.S. passport to regain entry into the country. According to the court filing, Alvarado "admitted that he created the false name of Saul Quiroz-Hernandez and claimed to be a Mexican national in order to avoid a lengthy prison term because of his drug conviction."
Charges against Alvarado were filed Wednesday by the Salt Lake County District Attorney's office. He faces a second-degree felony count of false/inconsistent material statements and a Class C misdemeanor charge of giving false personal identity to peace office.
E-mail: aadams@ksl.com
