Man Sentenced For Using Stolen Social Security Number In Wyoming

A cross-country identity theft complaint has led to a federal prison sentence and pending deportation for a 50-year-old Mexican national living in southwest Wyoming.

Jose Vazquez, of Colima, Mexico, was sentenced to six months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien, fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other entry documents. He will be deported after completing his sentence.

According to court documents, the case began in July 2025 when a woman in Hall County, Georgia, reported identity theft after discovering fraudulent use of her Social Security number. Investigators traced that activity to Vazquez, who was living in Kemmerer.

The Kemmerer Police Department determined Vazquez had been using the victim’s Social Security number on employment paperwork. Officers also discovered he was in possession of a second Social Security card belonging to a different individual.

Further investigation by Homeland Security Investigations revealed Vazquez had previously been removed from the United States in 2006 and had not applied for permission to reenter the country.

HSI and the Kemmerer Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence Feb. 9 in Cheyenne.

Vazquez’s case unfolds amid an ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement, as federal authorities including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement prioritize prosecuting previously deported individuals who reenter the country — especially those accused of additional crimes like identity fraud — while Congress and successive administrations continue to grapple with border policy, deportation authority and humanitarian concerns.