ILLEGAL ALIEN VENEZUELAN CHILD MOLESTER CHARGED WITH IMMIGRATION FRAUD

RALEIGH, N.C. - On June 2, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging an illegal alien born in Venezuela, Francisco Javier Chacoa-Pineda, 50, with immigration fraud. The indictment alleges that Chacoa lied about his criminal history on his application to obtain Temporary Protected Status in the United States.

According to the indictment and previously issued court documents, Chacoa allegedly knowingly made materially false statements under penalty of perjury on his application to obtain Temporary Protected Status when he submitted it to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) on April 24, 2024. In response to the questions "Have you EVER been convicted of or have you EVER committed acts which constitute the essential elements of…[a] crime (other than a purely political offense)?" and "Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in any of the following:…[e]ngaging in any kind of sexual conduct or relations with any person who was being forced or threatened?" he answered "No."

On November 18, 2024, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Wake County, a grand jury returned two separate indictments against Chacoa. The first indictment charged him with three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child on January 1, 2024. The second indictment charged him with three counts of first-degree sexual exploitation against a minor on April 21, 2024. On March 18, 2026, a North Carolina State jury convicted Chacoa of one count of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child. The State Judge sentenced him to a term of imprisonment of up to 11.5 years in State prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender. Chacoa confessed to committing those crimes against a 13-year-old victim in January and April 2024.

If convicted, Chacoa faces a maximum penalty of more than 10 years in prison. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ICE ERO officers are investigating the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative designed to target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain immigration benefits. Additional information about ICE and DOJ's partnership to aggressively combat benefit fraud is available at ICE.GOV/FalseHavenLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North CarolinaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 5:26-cr-00099-FL-RNLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.