Venezuelan Minor Enrolled In High School Actually An Illegal Migrant Adult Father, Police Say

An Ohio high school discovered that a proclaimed 17-year-old Venezuelan migrant student is actually a 24-year-old illegal immigrant, authorities say.

Police in Perrysburg, Ohio, arrested Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra on Monday for identity fraud, according to a police report obtained by the 🏢Daily Caller News Foundation. Police say Labrador Sierra, who is an overstay on an expired work visa and also is allegedly the father of a young child, falsely posed as a minor and successfully enrolled himself in a local high school for more than a year before an investigation uncovered his actual identity.

Labrador Sierra approached Perrysburg Schools in November 2023 and requested to be enrolled as a student, according to police. The Venezuelan national told school officials he was an immigrant from the country, claimed he was homeless and a victim of human trafficking.

After being instructed that he would need to present a birth certificate in order to complete the enrollment process, Labrador Sierra provided Perrysburg Schools a birth certificate from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela with a birthdate of Dec. 2, 2007, according to his arrest report.

The birth certificate proved successful for the Venezuelan — not only was he admitted into the Perrysburg school system by January 2024, he was connected to a local family that accepted him into their home and were granted temporary guardianship of him in May of that year. That family had previously taken in exchange students and adopted other children.

By November 2024, the family that was housing him were granted permanent guardianship and helped him obtain a social security number and an Ohio Driver’s License.