WATCH: Police arrest 24-year-old accused of posing as Ohio high school student
PERRYSBURG, Ohio (WJW) — A 24-year-old man was arrested after authorities said he pretended to be a high school student for over a year in Perrysburg. He even played on two sports teams.
Anthony Labrador-Sierra, 24, is facing felony charges of forgery.
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He attended Perrysburg High School for a year and a half.
Police said a few years ago, he told the school he was a homeless 16-year-old. He claimed he was a victim of human trafficking and wanted to become a student there. Police said his work visa expired in 2023, and that's the same year he reached out to Perrysburg Schools to enroll.
Labrador-Sierra allegedly enrolled in the district as a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor, under federal and state rules for students experiencing homelessness or who do not have a legal guardian, according to the school district.
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He had obtained several pieces of identification that 'further complicated the situation,' including an Ohio driver's license and a federal Social Security number. The school said Labrador-Sierra, who is from Venezuela, was also issued temporary protected status by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The Wood County Juvenile Court had placed him in guardianship with a Perrysburg family.
He went to Perrysburg High School from January 2024 until last week. Police said that's when a woman contacted the family he was staying with to let them know he wasn't a teenager and that he was an adult and the father of her child.
The school district said that after they were alerted, they started an investigation and found social media posts from many claiming to be Labrador's real family.
He was arrested on Monday. You can watch the arrest in the video below:
In a statement, the Perrysburg schools said:
'What's most heartbreaking is how many responded in good faith. Staff and local families offered support to someone they believed was a vulnerable teen. Their compassion reflects the best of our community. Though trust was violated, we remain proud of those who chose to help.'
School officials said the alleged fraud slipped past several federal, state and local agencies, and that the school district had acted in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which regulates education for students experiencing homelessness.
Labrador had been a member of the JV soccer and swim teams at the high school. This was reported to the Ohio High School Athletics Association.
He is being held on a $50,000 bond. If released he will not be able to leave Wood County.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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