Tampa, FL – A Honduran man, Elieser Aurelio Gomez-Zelaya, 34, has pleaded guilty to several charges related to identity fraud, including aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number, and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship for employment purposes. Gomez-Zelaya now faces a possible federal prison sentence ranging from a minimum of two years to a maximum of 12 years. The sentencing date has yet to be determined.
Gomez-Zelaya’s actions came to light while working at Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II, a company that participates in E-Verify. This web-based system, administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), allows employers to confirm the employment eligibility of their employees electronically. E-Verify requires documentation such as a Social Security number and photo ID to authenticate a prospective employee’s eligibility to work in the United States.
Between 2021 and September 2022, Gomez-Zelaya used another person’s identity to bypass the E-Verify system, committing the offenses of Social Security Number misuse and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship. On September 22, 2022, law enforcement officials encountered Gomez-Zelaya at the Joint Venture site, where he was employed under a stolen identity.
The investigation into Gomez-Zelaya’s activities intensified following a tragic incident at the Joint Venture construction site in Pinellas County. On the same day, another individual using a stolen identity, Juan Molina-Salles, was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of Pinellas County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Hartwick. During the investigation into Deputy Hartwick’s death, Gomez-Zelaya provided law enforcement with a false name, leading to his arrest on state charges of accessory after the fact.
The case was investigated by multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray is prosecuting the case.
