TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Eduardo Saavedra Melayes, 45, a Mexican national, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for aggravated identify theft, falsely representing U.S. citizenship, and false statement in application for passport. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This illegal alien chose to try to lie, cheat, and steal his way into this country, but thanks to the vigilance and excellent investigation of our federal partners he will now find himself in federal prison before being swiftly deported thereafter. My office has zero-tolerance for violations of our nation’s laws, and we will aggressively prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent.”
Court documents reflect that in December of 2023, the defendant submitted a passport application in-person at a Panama City post office. Upon processing, the application was denied due to indicators of fraud. An investigation uncovered that the defendant submitted the passport application using someone else’s identity. The documents submitted during the application process were possessed unlawfully. Additionally, a previous false passport was used in 2008, 2009, 2024, and 2025 to travel between the United States and Mexico. The defendant was at all times unlawfully present in the United States.
“We are a key partner in the United States’ work to reduce illegal immigration and root out those who endeavor to exploit the U.S. travel system,” said Ryan McSeveney, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office. “DSS proudly coordinates with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our U.S. and international law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of crime related to passport and visa fraud — and to bring those who commit these crimes to justice.”
The sentence was the result of an investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Northern District of Florida — U.S. Department of Justice press release.