There are plenty of people who wish they could redo their high school years, whether because they wish they did things differently or because they had so much fun the first time. But despite what movies like Never Been Kissed say, pretending to be a teen and re-enrolling in high school is actually a crime -as one Ukrainian immigrant recently learned the hard way. Vista defense lawyer Peter M. Liss examines what charges the young man may be facing.
In this specific case, a 23 year-old Ukrainian man named Artur Samarin convinced two Americans that he was actually 14. The couple worked with him to obtain a social security card and a driver’s license so he could attend high school while posing as their adopted son. While attending school, Samarin was a role model student, maintaining a 4.16 GPA while participating in the school’s ROTC and Naval Sea Cadet programs and volunteering at a local food bank. He even managed to get a 15 year-old girlfriend. It shouldn’t take a criminal defense lawyer in Vista for you to recognize hat some laws were definitely broken here.
Aside from the immigration laws related to Samarin staying in the country after his Visa expired, the young man is also being charged with theft, fraud, tampering with public records, identity theft, sexual assault and statutory rape. It’s worth noting that while police believe he made up a totally new identity and did not steal an individual’s identity, he can still be charged with identity theft. Although these crimes and the related charges occurred in Pennsylvania, the charges are largely the same that he would face if he was being charged in Vista, CA. Defense attorneys working on his behalf will have a hard time fighting these charges and will likely attempt to set up a plea bargain. While Samarin is not a US citizen, he will still need to serve his time in a US penitentiary before he will be deported.
Authorities are still deciding whether or not to file charges against the couple who helped Samarin as the two claim they genuinely believed they were helping a minor in need.
If you have been accused of any similar crimes, including rape, statutory rape, identity theft or fraud, please call (760) 643-4050 to schedule a free initial consultation with top Vista criminal defense attorney Peter M. Liss.
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