TAMPA, Fla. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is looking for additional victims of a Tampa area man charged Monday with a 25-count indictment including eight counts of mail fraud, eight counts of making false statements in immigration documents, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft. This case was investigated by HSI, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the indictment, Elvis Harold Reyes, 56, of Brandon, owned and operated EHR Ministries Inc., and portrayed himself as an immigration attorney, pastor, accountant, immigration expert, former immigration official and former federal law enforcement officer. Reyes is not and has never been a licensed attorney. Reyes targeted undocumented immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries who were seeking Florida driver licenses and work authorization. He gave false, inaccurate and incomplete legal and immigration advice to victims in order to induce them to retain his services and those of EHR Ministries.
Any person who was, or knows of someone who may have been, a possible victim is urged to contact the Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or http://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form.
Victims retained and paid Reyes to represent them in immigration-related matters before USCIS and other agencies. Reyes allegedly filed fraudulent immigration applications in the victims’ names, seeking asylum relief and withholding-of-removal protections provided for under the United Nations Convention Against Torture. In doing so, Reyes falsified answers to questions in the asylum applications—fabricating stories about threats, persecution, and the applicants’ fear of returning to their native countries. Reyes did not inform the victims of the answers that he had provided on their behalf. He also did not inform the victims about the legal, administrative, and other immigration-related consequences that might follow from filing for asylum relief or for Convention Against Torture protection.
If convicted, Reyes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count of mail fraud, up to 15 years’ imprisonment for each false statement count, and a mandatory, consecutive term of two years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft counts.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray, with United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez Middle District Florida office.
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Part of the website has the following: Help us help the homeless and the orphans no matter in what country they find themselves. USA, South America, Africa, India, and others.
Make a donation today, Help! This ministry meet the challenges faced with every day on a global scale. Partner with us in giving Food, Clothes, Water, Shelter, helping the sick and rehabilitating the imprison. Help us built orphanages, help us bring water, education, to those who seek Him. Help our missionaries accomplish their missions in Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Peru, and other Countries. Do it for Him “Jesus” Amen.
Click on the orange bar below and give as the Lord touches your heart. “Thank you!” Amen! “Keep this in mind.” $175 Feeds a family for a year. $90 provides 375 lbs of rice and beans, $43 Feeds a child for one year.
- Preparing INS documents and immigration applications.
- Referring them to license attorneys.
- Helping them with housing, education, and job training.
- Job placement.
- Job training and education.
- Helping them write resumes.
- Preparing them for job interviews.
Something about this website easily leads one to believe the photos are not part of the organization but rather taken from internet sources.
PLANT CITY, Fla. — A Plant City couple say they were defrauded of thousands of dollars by a man who claimed to be an immigration attorney.
- Lorenzo Aguilar, Josephina Ramos-Ramirez work as laborers
- Couple says they hired Elvis Reyes, 54, to help them with path to citizenship
- Reyes has spent time in prison for aggravated assault, grand theft, forgery
- More Hillsborough County stories
“When we started the process, he wanted half of the money up front, like $2,500 dollars,” said Aguilar through a translator. “And then after the fingerprints came back — that’s when he would ask for the rest of the money.”
But after Reyes received the money, Aguilar didn’t hear back.
“He stopped answering the phone,” he said. “We would continue to call him and he just would never answer the phone anymore.”
Aguilar and his common-law wife Josephina Ramos-Ramirez, who work as laborers, paid Reyes $5,000. It’s money they say they can’t afford to lose.
The couple also has an infant son with a rare brain disorder who requires specialized treatment he can’t get back in their native Mexico.
“I can’t go back to our country because of the treatment that he needs,” said Ramirez. “And because of that is why we’re having so much difficulty right now because I fear being deported.”
We reached out to Reyes and his church through phone calls and email. His mailbox is full and emails weren’t returned.
According to online records, Reyes spent time in prison for aggravated assault, grand theft and forgery.
The couple has since hired Ananis Makar, an immigration attorney, based in Plant City.
“We’ve had quite a few people coming in telling us that somebody who is claiming to be an attorney have filed documents on their behalf,” said Makar.
Makar now represents three other clients who claim they were cheated by Reyes. She tells us Reyes also filed paperwork with the federal government on their behalf.
“It just makes (their case) a little more difficult,” said Makar. “To gain any kind of immigration status is already a challenge.”
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has opened an investigation into Reyes amid reports there could be 40 individuals allegedly defrauded by Reyes.
“People preying on our residents is unacceptable,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “Our job as a local law enforcement agency is to protect all people, regardless of their immigration status, from criminals looking to take advantage of them. We are looking into this case and working to bring those responsible to justice.”
