Mexican man who assumed identity of serviceman gets 2 years in prison

Double-click any word or phrase in the story to search this site.

June 23, 2007 - 8:40PM

The Associated Press

PHOENIX - A Mexican man who tried to assume the identity of an American serviceman so he could remain in the United States has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Cirilo Espino Ibarra, 26, was also ordered Friday by a federal judge to pay $2,306 in restitution.

Espino Ibarra pleaded guilty on March 1 to felony offenses of false statements on a passport application and an illegal immigrant in possession of a firearm, prosecutors said.

Authorities said Espino Ibarra tried to secure a passport from a Mesa office on Jan. 13, 2003, so he could travel back and forth to his native Mexico.

On the passport application, prosecutors said Espino Ibarra falsely used the name, birth date and place of birth of a California man who was on active duty in the Air Force and stationed in Japan.

The unidentified serviceman told authorities that Espino Ibarra's actions caused problems with his income taxes and credit history.

Authorities said Espino Ibarra fraudulently bought a pickup truck using the identity of the serviceman and was found to be in possession of a semiautomatic pistol with an obliterated serial number when he was arrested in August 2004.

Home

Local News

Mesa

More Mesa News

Templar: Now job gets tough for Mesa’s new...
Mesa, PD face ‘unprecedented’ budget cuts
Witness says police ignored his tips
Mesa medic killed in DPS rescue in Sedona
RV erupts in flames, no one hurt

Oldest First | Newest First | Show Recommended Only

Reader comments: This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below. Responsibility lies solely with the comment author.

Please add your comments, but follow these guidelines to keep this a safe, credible place for discussing the news:

Stay on topic.
No personal attacks, racial slurs or insults; no vulgar, lewd or threatening comments.
Report abusive comments.

Show archived comments

Reader comments (31)

This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below. Responsibility lies solely with the comment author.

My comment disappeared! What's going on?

View more comments: 1| 2| 3| 4

Michael F.

Espino Ibarra stole the identity of an American service man, he illegally entered this country under this false identity and when arrested was in possession of an automatic pistol with the serial number removed. Can we all agree this was no poor down trodden laborer but was in fact a criminal who entered this nation to continue criminal activites? Too often the truth is right in our faces, that wave after wave of criminals and potential terrorists are entering this country across and unsecured border, or in Ibarra's case, with falsified papers which allows them to destroy the credit of Americans. We are being invaded and there is no other way to see it. Suggest removal of this comment

June 23, 2007

riki

One again the american citizens are going to have to pay to keep another illegal in our prison system. Our hard earned tax dollars could well be spent elsewhere, but noooo - our President still insists on giving illegals a pathway to become american citizens - gee there was even a poll of 1600 illegals who said they were in favor of the proposed immigration laws - wow 1600 out of 12 million -what were those polsters thinking??? Duh - of course they'd be in favor of anything that would allow them to come here illegally and POOF now they'll be able to work here and eventually become legal citizens. I think our politicians are trying to pull the wool over our eyes - can our politicians really believe that if they grant temporary work status to illegals that there won't be others trying to come here illegally to gain legal status. Oh yes, and the best statement so far was our President saying he promises that with immigration reform there will be no more illegals coming into our country - Hmm wonder how he can do that - he can''t even keep them from coming in illegally now. Wonder what trip he's on. Suggest removal of this comment

June 24, 2007

place

How painfully ironic that this worthless human being should steal the identity of a young man who is in another country fighting, risking his life, and missing his family, in the name of freedom so this illegal excuse of a human being can come into our country and make a mockery of our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence. Suggest removal of this comment

June 24, 2007

Bodo

moscoso'

Anyone in military service ANYWHERE is at risk. They could be sent into harm's way at any moment, and many have dangerous jobs. While some places are more perilous than others, there is no real "frontline' anymore. Suggest removal of this comment

June 24, 2007

chill

Nice family values, hard working and honest people doing jobs Americans will not do.

Presedente Jorge Bush and Juan Mcamnesty love these guys.

I say, deport the 400,000 criminal migrant illegal aliens in our jail systems, that we pay for every day, Monday morning.
If they get caught here again, 20 to life should be the sentence.
Anyone have aproblem with that? Comment has been reviewed

June 24, 2007

Todd Stallion

Wow 1 out of 89731233203298 Illegal alliens is arrested and sentenced to jail. Too bad, he had probably a week to wait before he became an American thanks to the Congress Traitors and the Blackmail / Deaththreats that George Bush is giving this week to pass the Amnesty Bill.

The Amnesty Bill is a Dagger to the heart of America. Comment has been reviewed

June 25, 2007

Terry

Yes it is traitorism. The Amnesty bill ! Have any of you heard of numbersusa.com ? Check it out. Because if we don't do somthing soon the voice of the American people will be silenced forever. The people running this country have decided the're a different class of citizens. They rule in favor of the money it's no secret. Suggest removal of this comment

June 25, 2007

A Negro in Chains

Maybe our poor little oppressed amigo just had a case of amnesia. He was confused, and took on the identity of someone whom he had hero worship for, an American serviceman! Suggest removal of this comment

June 25, 2007

Amy

Get use to stories like this, because our government doesn't give a damn. Our government isn't doing a thing to prevent this. So don't be suprised when its you that is next. Suggest removal of this comment

June 25, 2007

Kara

Que Pasa- Get off the landscaping crap!!! First of all your illegals do a half ass job at landscaping and building homes. It takes the boss to come in and correct their mistakes because they don't follow instruction and can't speak English. On top of that, how can you depend on these people. They don't even show up for the job. Trust me I know. I would rather give my money to citizens then these people who can't complete the job if they even show up. I am patriotic to my people and support my people (Legal Citizens of the United States). By the way, I stopped getting my car washed because they also do a half ass job and I have to fix it when I get home. It may come as a suprise to you that many people pay for U.S citizen services and not illegals. Trust me, with a little homework and questioning you as a buyer can ask any company (ex: pool, house painting, landscapers etc...) hire illegals for the work. If they do.... I for one turn them away. I did it for the cabinet guy. Suggest removal of this comment