Man Admits Posing as ICE Agent

A San Ysidro man pleaded guilty Wednesday to posing as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and scamming Orange County immigrants who were trying to get legal status. (10news.com) Davyd George Brand Jimenez, 55, admitted in Los Angeles federal court to 10 counts of false impersonation of a federal officer, two counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count each of fraudulent use of U.S. government seals and aggravated identity theft. (10news.com) Federal prosecutors said he targeted at least 25 victims, charged each one between $10,000 and $20,000, and now faces a July 16 sentencing date. The Justice Department said the case involves $152,476 in restitution and a maximum penalty of 117 years in prison. (10news.com) According to the 2023 indictment, the scheme ran from April 2019 to November 2020 and focused on undocumented Latino immigrants seeking green cards, work permits, or U.S. citizenship. Prosecutors said Brand Jimenez had never worked for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (justice.gov) Prosecutors said he showed a fake ICE badge, called himself a Homeland Security official, and sometimes claimed to hold a “G-18” post that does not exist. They said he did not file immigration paperwork and did not secure any immigration benefits for the people who paid him. (justice.gov) Court filings said he also fabricated documents bearing the Department of Homeland Security emblem and gave one victim a fake stay of deportation order. In another case, prosecutors said, he handed over a valid Social Security card, a U.S. passport card, and a California identification card under another person’s name and told the victim to use them as proof of legal status. (10news.com) California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned in March 2025 that the state had received increased reports of people impersonating ICE officers and running immigration scams. His office said real immigration officers do not ask for money or financial information by phone, text, or email. (oag.ca.gov) The same state guidance says only lawyers, accredited representatives, and recognized organizations can give legal advice or appear in immigration court. It warns immigrants not to hire consultants or notaries who present themselves as immigration experts. (oag.ca.gov) Brand Jimenez’s guilty plea closes the question of whether he posed as a federal agent. The next step is sentencing in Los Angeles on July 16. (10news.com)