Georgetown man pleads guilty in Cambodian marriage fraud scheme

Tuesday, Jun. 22, 201
By Karla Ward - kward1@herald-leader.com
Herald Leader (Lexington, Kentucky, USA)

A 25-year-old Georgetown man has pleaded guilty in a Cambodian marriage fraud scheme.

Justin Michael Martin was paid about $7,000 to marry a Cambodian woman to help her evade U.S. immigration laws and become a permanent resident, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.

Martin and Phearoun Peter Em, who was also involved in the scheme, went to Cambodia in June 2004, when Martin met and agreed to marry Yota Em. Participants in the conspiracy paid for Martin's expenses on the trip, including "sexual services from a Cambodian female," according to the release.

Yota Em entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa, representing herself as Martin's fiancee, in September 2005. They were married in a civil ceremony in Lexington on March 5, 2007, but the marriage was never consummated, the DOJ said. Em and Martin were divorced on June 30, 2009.

Yota Em is currently a fugitive.

Martin pleaded guilty to marriage fraud and conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Magistrate Judge James D. Moyer of U.S. District Court in Louisville has ordered a pre-sentence investigation, and a sentencing date has not been scheduled, the news release stated.

Three US citizens and three Cambodian men indicted for marriage and benefit fraud

May 14th, 2010

HOUSTON, TEXAS (BNO NEWS) – Three U.S. citizens and three Cambodian nationals were indicted with nine counts of conspiring to commit marriage fraud, benefit/visa fraud and passport fraud, U.S. Attorney Jose Angel Moreno announced on Friday.

The three detained Americans were identified as Julianne Garcia, 27, Helen Garcia, 64, and Michael Reese, 57. Lou Sou, 46, Sampher Thou, 35, and Jane Doe, also known as “Leaphiny Muth,” were the three Cambodian nationals involved in the fraudulent conspiracy. All six defendants are accused of conspiring to commit marriage fraud for the purpose of evading immigration laws and filing false documents to achieve their goals.

“The United States, a melting pot for immigrants from all corners of the world, continues to welcome legal immigration. It is illegal immigration, whether by illegal entry, overstay, or fraud, which cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Moreno.

The conspirators allegedly recruited American citizens to enter into fraudulent marriages with Cambodian nationals. The recruits received fees for the sham marriages that intended to fraudulently obtaining the conditional and lawful permanent resident status for marrying a U.S. citizen.

Julianne Garcia married Thou in August 2006, while Reece entered into a sham marriage with Ode in December 2006. Helen Garcia, Julianne’s mother, and Sour allegedly aided her and Thou in their fraudulent marriage. Sou also aided Reece and Doe. She allowed her residence to be used on the marriage license applications as the address of both couples.

Doe is also charged with visa fraud, using and possessing a U.S. non-immigrant visa in the name of Leaphiny Muth. Doe and Reece also falsely claimed on a passport application for a child that Reece was the father.

The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years of imprisonment while the passport and visa fraud carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.

51-yr-old US doctor sentenced for bringing a 14-yr-old Cambodian child-bride to the US

Former Altus doctor sentenced in child-bride case

9/24/2009
By Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — A former Altus doctor accused of bringing his child bride to Oklahoma using false papers has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Robert Troester says 51-year-old Alexander Christian Miles was sentenced Thursday for using a visa immigration document that contained false information to gain entry into the United States of a child under 18. Miles pleaded guilty in June.

An indictment says Miles met and married a 14-year-old Cambodian girl in 2001, and they moved to Altus the following year.

A federal judge dismissed the case in 2006, but prosecutors re-filed the charge.

Miles' attorney appealed on double jeopardy grounds, but an appeals court panel upheld the charge.

Miles' lawyer couldn't be reached for comment.