ST. GEORGE — A Nevada man running an extensive fake document manufacturing operation in Las Vegas was arrested Wednesday in a parking lot off of Pioneer Road during a sting operation conducted by strike force agents with the Utah Attorney General’s Office.
Multiple charges were filed Thursday against 39-year-old Francisco Partidasoto, of Las Vegas, who was arrested in the Walmart parking lot at 2610 Pioneer Road after undercover agents purchased fake documents from him.
The Washington County Attorney’s Office charged Partidasoto with 10 second-degree felony counts of producing identification documents knowingly and without authorization.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Utah Attorney General’s Statewide Enforcement of Crimes by Undocumented REsidents, or SECURE, Strike Force.
Agents received information in October of an operation involving the manufacture and transfer of fraudulent documents, primarily Social Security and permanent resident cards, or “green cards,” according to documents filed with the 5th District Court in St. George.
During the investigation, agents learned Partidasoto was a possible suspect and purchased numerous documents during a series of controlled buys.
Agents also determined that he was involved in all areas of the alleged operation, from the time the documents were ordered through the delivery process.
Court records say the counterfeit documents were created and stored at Partidasoto’s residence, which agents discovered while collecting evidence from his vehicle, his home and his cell phone during a series of searches.
The initial purchase was made by agents who wired funds through Western Union, and the documents were sent through the mail, according to court records.
Subsequent controlled purchases were made, including the final buy that took place in the Walmart parking lot where 30 documents were handed over to undercover agents just before Partidasoto was arrested and transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility.
He was booked for 30 second-degree felony counts of forgery I.D. documents, which were later reduced to 10 charges that were amended and filed with the court.
Partidasoto remains in jail on $100,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon.
The SECURE Strike Force launched in 2009 under the Utah Attorney General’s Office as a coordinated effort with the Utah Department of Public Safety, as well as county, federal and city law enforcement agencies to combat violent and other major felony crimes associated with illegal immigration and human trafficking and make hundreds of arrests each year.
This report is based on statements from police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.
Is this the Spark of Divinity that Nancy Pelosi spoke of?
Yes. And the same guy who gave Trumps golf course illegals their docs. Ha, ha, ha…
Excellent bust. This guy obviously has been unloading all kinds of false docs.
If they did a roundup around here would there be a massive shortage of landscapers and builders? It would probably slow growth for awhile when the houses couldn’t go up as fast, at least until a new batch of them sneaked in to fill the shortage. Deport deport deport, why isn’t it happening?
The illegals are the builders of St George and the developers WANT them. Money and power are the dictators. Follow the money.
There have been at least three arrests in St George for people selling fake documentation lately. I hope the “Strike Force” nabs a lot more. Those purchasing fake ID need to be arrested and deported if records can be found.
Kudos to local law enforcement.
If you want to arrest someone for breaking the law then arrest the federal government
Back in the mid 70’s at a steel processing plant in Commerce, Ca. Someone posted a warning in the employee men’s rooms that there was going to be a immigration bust the following day. This plant worked 3 shifts around the clock. 37% didn’t show up that day. Yeah, It was a hoax.
Build that wall!