Man fakes illegal immigrant status to avoid jail

A Utah man arrested last year in Salt Lake City and charged with drug distribution told the judge he was an illegal immigrant so he could be deported rather than face a lengthy prison term. 27-year-old Jaime Alvarado lied to the authorities, telling them he was Saul Quiroz, and that he had emigrated from Mexico illegally. Alvarado’s deception was discovered when he returned to the U.S. using his passport.

Alvarado is now charged with his original crime, a second-degree felony for possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to distribute, as well as an additional felony and misdemeanor for lying about his identity. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said it’s not infrequent for people to lie about their nationality to avoid prosecution, especially as some law enforcement officials prefer to deport individuals rather than adding to an overloaded prison system.