Federal prosecutors have charged Enrico Ronquillo, 37, with multiple serious offenses after he allegedly used stolen identity documents to board a Princess cruise ship sailing in Alaska last month.
Ronquillo, a Philippine national legally residing in the U.S., stands accused of false impersonation of a U.S. citizen and aggravated identity theft in connection with an identity fraud scheme during the May 11-14 Alaska cruise.
According to court documents, Ronquillo created a false identity by using counterfeit California identification, including a driver’s license and birth certificate belonging to another person, to appear on the ship’s passenger manifest.
Prosecutors say the scheme went even further: Ronquillo reportedly forged a fake IRS Form W-9 using the victim’s name, signature, address, and Social Security number. This sophisticated identity theft has drawn the attention of multiple federal agencies.
If convicted, Ronquillo faces mandatory minimum sentences of two years in prison for each count of aggravated identity theft, with additional penalties that could include up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
The investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a Justice Department initiative targeting criminal organizations and immigration-related crimes. The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office is leading the probe, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Coast Guard.
Ronquillo is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Alaska. As always, these charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
