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Byron Castillo, who lived in Middletown, admitted in Tuesday, Jan. 8, that he had defrauded a recent immigrant from Ecuador, by promising her that he would arrange to have her relatives obtain United States visas, and would also provide them with false visa documents and plane tickets, said the Orange County District Attorney's office.
The office said they plan to recommend a sentence of one to three years in state prison and that he pay restitution to five recent immigrants, the DA's Office said.
In addition to being charged with the felony of grand larceny, he was also charged with felony immigrant assistance fraud.
The prosecution against Castillo, and an unrelated defendant, Maria Medina, 67, formerly of Wallkill, who also pleaded guilty felony of Immigrant assistance fraud in 2017, marked the first times that Immigrant Assistance Fraud in the First Degree had been charged in Orange County, the DA's office said.
"It is our duty as prosecutors to prosecute every crime, regardless of the citizenship status of the victim,” said Hoovler. “All crime affects everyone in the community and diminishes everyone’s quality of life. Those who think that they can escape arrest or prosecution in Orange County by preying on undocumented immigrants, who may be reluctant to come forward because of their immigration status, are sadly mistaken. It must be well understood that this Office will not tolerate criminal acts of any type, against any victim.”
Victimized immigrants may report any type of crime, including violent crimes, human trafficking, domestic violence, and frauds. Immigrants who wish to report being the victim of a crime, or who otherwise need assistance in dealing with a criminal case in which they are the victim, or those wishing additional information about the initiative, may contact Counsel to the District Attorney Robert Conflitti, who serves as the Immigrant Affairs Coordinator by calling 845-291-2050.
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