Man Admits Posing As ICE To Scam Immigrants

A San Diego man admitted in federal court that he posed as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent to take money from Latino immigrants in Orange County. (10news.com) Davyd George Brand Jimenez, 52, of San Ysidro, pleaded guilty on April 22 in downtown Los Angeles, according to local reports on the hearing. Prosecutors said he targeted more than 25 victims who were seeking work permits, green cards, or U.S. citizenship. (ocregister.com) A 2023 federal indictment said Brand Jimenez charged victims between $10,000 and $20,000 from April 2019 through November 2020. The indictment said he showed a fake ICE badge, claimed he was a “Homeland Security” official, and sometimes used the made-up title “G-18” federal official. (justice.gov) Prosecutors said he did not file real immigration paperwork and did not obtain lawful status for any victim. Instead, the indictment said, he handed out fabricated documents bearing Department of Homeland Security emblems, including a fake stay of deportation order. (justice.gov) The Orange County Register reported that sentencing is set for July 16 and that Brand Jimenez faces up to 117 years in prison, a $4 million fine, and $152,476 in restitution to at least 25 victims. Those figures reflect the full set of counts tied to the case. (ocregister.com) The case lands after California officials spent the past year warning immigrants about people pretending to be federal officers. In a March 18, 2025 advisory, Attorney General Rob Bonta said immigration officers will not ask for money or financial information and urged people to report scams. (oag.ca.gov) That warning also told Californians not to hand over money or personal information to callers claiming there is a problem with an immigration case. The state said only lawyers, accredited representatives, and recognized organizations can give legal advice or represent people in immigration court. (oag.ca.gov) Separate litigation in Southern California also changed the backdrop for cases involving fake or misleading immigration enforcement claims. In August 2025, a federal court settlement barred ICE officers in the Los Angeles field office from identifying themselves as local police or using other deceptive ruses during home arrests. (aclusocal.org) Federal prosecutors first announced the case in May 2023, when a grand jury returned a 25-count indictment in Santa Ana. At that point, the Justice Department said Brand Jimenez had never been employed by ICE. (justice.gov) The guilty plea closes the question of whether he used a fake badge and fake authority to collect money from immigrants who wanted legal status. The next milestone is July 16, when a federal judge is scheduled to sentence him. (ocregister.com)