Maria Victoria Borja-Avila, a 47-year-old from Mexico, has pleaded guilty in a federal court to charges of passport fraud, falsely representing U.S. citizenship, and aggravated identity theft. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “This defendant tried to lie, cheat, and steal her way into this country, but thanks to the diligent investigatory work of our federal partners she’ll spend time in a prison cell before being removed. My office will continue to aggressively pursue violations of our nation’s immigration laws.”
Court documents indicate that Borja-Avila submitted false information on a U.S. passport application at the Santa Rosa County Clerk’s Office on August 14, 2023. She claimed to be an actual U.S. citizen using someone else’s birth certificate and fraudulent Florida driver’s license.
Borja-Avila faces mandatory incarceration for two years on her aggravated identity charge concurrent with any other charge and up to ten years’ imprisonment for her passport fraud charge. An ICE detainer has been placed against her, and deportation proceedings will begin after serving her federal prison term. Her imprisonment may be followed by up to three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan.
Sentencing is set for October 16, 2025, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida serves as one of 94 offices under the direction of the Attorney General.
