Salvadoran National Guilty Of Making False Statement In Passport Application

A 57-year-old Salvadoran national has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas.

Mario Obdulio Orellana, a resident of Shelby County, Texas, pleaded guilty on Sep. 19, 2018, to making a false statement in an application for a passport before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn.

According to information presented in court, on Oct. 6, 2017, Orellana made a false statement in an application for a United States passport by claiming to be a United States citizen.

Under the federal statute, Orellana faces up to ten years in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.