Colombian national sentenced for stealing U.S. citizen’s identity to vote; obtain citizenship, passport

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - An HSI investigation resulted in a three-year federal prison sentence for criminal illegal alien Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Grajales. The 55-year-old Colombian criminal illegal alien, residing in Jacksonville, was convicted for using the identity of a U.S. citizen to obtain government-issued documents and vote unlawfully in federal elections.

Jaramillo was sentenced for making false statements in an application for a U.S. passport, aggravated identity theft, falsely claiming that a Social Security number had been assigned to him, and falsely claiming eligibility to vote in an election. The court also entered a judicial order for Jaramillo's removal to Colombia.

According to court documents, Jaramillo used the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a U.S. passport. He used the same stolen identity information to obtain and repeatedly renew a Florida driver's license, register to vote, and vote in several elections.

"This criminal illegal alien spent years exploiting a stolen identity of a United States citizen to obtain government documents, claim benefits, and unlawfully participate in the electoral process," said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. "This conviction demonstrates that identity theft, immigration fraud, and fraud against the integrity of United States government systems will be investigated thoroughly and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. HSI remains committed to protecting victims, safeguarding public institutions, and ensuring that those who abuse our immigration and identification systems are held accountable."

Jaramillo first obtained a Florida driver's license in the victim's name in March 2003 and renewed it several times, most recently in February 2024. In April 2003, he applied for a passport using the victim's identity and provided a Puerto Rican birth certificate in the victim's name, along with the fraudulently obtained driver's license. Based on those documents, he was issued a passport in May 2003. He later submitted passport renewal applications in February 2013 and March 2023, receiving renewed passports each time.

In December 2010, Jaramillo submitted a Florida voter registration application using the stolen identity and falsely affirming that he was a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico. His voter registration was approved, and he subsequently voted in several elections, including the election held in Duval County on Nov. 3, 2020.

The investigation also revealed that Jaramillo's former spouse entered the U.S. lawfully on a visa in September 2003. After the two married, she applied for lawful permanent residence and later citizenship based on the marriage because Jaramillo falsely presented himself as a U.S. citizen. She received approval and became a citizen in August 2017. The couple divorced in January 2020.

In May 2024, Jaramillo traveled to Colombia under the false identity. The following month, his former spouse traveled to Colombia and filed for immigration benefits on his behalf using his true identity. After receiving approval for those benefits, Jaramillo returned to the U.S. under his true name. The two remarried in June 2025, and he then applied for permanent residence based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen.

Consistent with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement and public safety priorities, ICE will continue to identify, arrest and remove noncitizens who violate U.S. immigration law.

This case was investigated by HSI Jacksonville, the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.

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