Latest news with #Hosler
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local charges dropped as feds target Venezuelan accused of posing as teen at Ohio high school
An illegal immigrant from Venezuela who was allegedly caught posing as a high school student in Ohio will no longer face local charges and is now being prosecuted in a federal court. Anthony Labrador-Sierra, 24, was arrested May 21, after he allegedly enrolled in a public high school using fraudulent documents. On Thursday, the Perrysburg Municipal Court confirmed to Fox News Digital all local charges had been dropped against Labrador-Sierra and that his case had been handed over to federal authorities. Labrador-Sierra faced a judge in the case and waived his right to a preliminary hearing, according to WTVG. Venezuelan Man Who Allegedly Posed As Teen Participated In Ohio High School Swimming Events He will now appear before a grand jury that will oversee his case. Read On The Fox News App According to a criminal complaint, Perrysburg Schools reported to the Perrysburg Police Department that they had received information that Labrador-Sierra, a student attending Perrysburg High School, was actually a 24-year-old man who fraudulently enrolled. Venezuelan Man Arrested After Posing As Teen To Enroll In Ohio High School Detectives worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and discovered Labrador-Sierra is a 24-year-old from Venezuela. Investigators also learned Labrador-Sierra allegedly used fraudulent documents to enroll in Perrysburg schools and was posing as a 16-year-old student. Tom Hosler, superintendent of Perrysburg Schools, emphasized the district took swift action once learning Labrador-Sierra's real identity. "I want to emphasize this: Immediately upon learning that this student may have concealed his identity and misled us, we acted. We met with the student, and he was then not permitted on any school property while we investigated. Very shortly after, we contacted law enforcement," Hosler wrote in a statement on the school district's website. "Nothing is more important than the safety and security of our students. When we learn of a concerning situation, we act." Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, called the discovery and allegations "shocking." The senator shared a letter he sent to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel on X, writing, "Unreal. Thanks to Joe Biden's abuse of TPS, a 24-year-old illegal alien was caught on a fake asylum claim pretending to be a teenager at a high school in Ohio." Moreno called on Noem and Patel to launch investigations immediately, asking them to take any and all lawful measures to enforce federal immigration and criminal laws against Labrador-Sierra. Hosler added that Labrador-Sierra weaved "a complex tapestry of lies." The U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Ohio also noted that Labrador-Sierra is alleged to have submitted false information to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services about his date of birth in applications for Temporary Protective Status (TPS) and Employment Authorization Documents in 2024 and 2025. DHS told Fox News it has located Labrador-Sierra's information under a different spelling of his name, adding he is a visa overstay who first came to the U.S. in 2019. Ag Bondi Details Arrest Of Alleged Top Ms-13 Leader Who Reportedly Joined The Vicious Gang In Middle School Perrysburg Police Chief Pat Jones told FOX 8 News Wednesday that what investigators have learned about the case so far appears to be "just the tip of the iceberg." The school district released a statement explaining that it shares "the anger and frustration expressed by many in our community." "This individual is accused of misrepresenting his identity, forging documents, and exploiting systems designed to protect vulnerable youth. While emotions are high, it's important that we remain grounded in facts as this complex situation continues to unfold," the district wrote in an updated statement. The complaint further alleges that Labrador-Sierra does not have lawful status to purchase, own or possess a gun in the United States. The agency noted he submitted false information on an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) form to buy a gun. He is being held in the Lucas County Jail. If convicted, Labrador-Sierra would face up to 15 years in prison for possession of a gun by an alien, 10 years in prison for making a false statement during the purchase of a gun and up to five years in prison for using false documents, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "We recognize that more information may still come to light, and we remain committed to learning everything we can as this situation continues to unfold. We will share additional information as we are able," the school district wrote. The agency added that the investigation is ongoing and anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-225-5324. Fox News' Bill Melugin and Greg Wehner contributed to this report. Original article source: Local charges dropped as feds target Venezuelan accused of posing as teen at Ohio high school
USA Today
21-05-2025
- USA Today
24-year-old man arrested, accused of posing as a teen at Ohio high school
A 24-year-old man was arrested after police said he posed as a teenager to attend an Ohio high school. Anthony Emmanuel Labrad Sierra, a Venezuelan national, is accused of pretending to be a 16-year-old and enrolling in Perrysburg High School, according to The Columbus Dispatch, part of USA TODAY Network. In a letter sent by Perrysburg Schools Superintendent Thomas Hosler, Sierra presented himself as an unaccompanied minor at the high school under the name "Anthony Labrador." He was reportedly involved in the junior varsity swim and soccer programs at the school. Sierra allegedly received various letters of documentation while enrolled at Perrysburg High School, including a driver's license, Social Security number, and federal Temporary Protective Status from the United States Immigration Department. WTOL11 and WTVG reported that the family who had taken guardianship of Sierra initially found out about his age from a woman claiming to be the mother of his child, who sent them photos and other documentation. According to the reports, Hosler said the district learned about Sierra's fraudulent identity on May 14 when the family contacted the school. 'Deceptive circumstances' The school district contacted the Perrysburg Police Department, which then conducted an investigation. According to reports, the border patrol informed police that Sierra's visa status expired in 2023. "This case involves highly unusual and deceptive circumstances that impacted many local, state, and federal agencies," Hosler said in the letter. Court records viewed by the Dispatch say Sierra was arrested on May 19 and charged with felony forgery. He is currently in custody at the Wood County jail and was issued a $50,000 to Perrysburg police, they located Sierra riding in a vehicle at around 4:15 p.m. on May 19 and took him into custody. If he is released, he is not allowed to leave Wood County. Perrysburg is about 10 miles from Toledo. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ohio high school says 24-year-old man posed as teenager to attend
A Venezuelan national was arrested on May 19 after Perrysburg police say he posed as a teenager to attend high school in the northwest Ohio city. Anthony Emmanuel Labrad Sierra, 24, is accused of posing as a 16-year-old and enrolling in Perrysburg High School. He has been charged with felony forgery, according to court records, and is currently in custody at the Wood County jail. He was issued a $50,000 bond. If he is released, he is not allowed to leave Wood County. According to a letter sent by Perrysburg Schools Superintendent Thomas Hosler, Sierra presented himself as an unaccompanied minor at the high school under the name "Anthony Labrador." Sierra allegedly received various letters of documentation while enrolled at Perrysburg High School, including a driver's license, Social Security number, and federal Temporary Protective Status from the United States Immigration Department. Hosler said the district learned about Sierra's fraudulent identity on May 14 when the family who had taken guardianship of him contacted the school, according to reporting from WTOL11. The district contacted the Perrysburg Police Department who then conducted an investigation. "This case involves highly unusual and deceptive circumstances that impacted many local, state and federal agencies," Hosler said in the letter. According to Perrysburg police, they located Sierra riding in a vehicle at around 4:15 p.m. on May 19 and took him into custody. Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@ at ShahidMeighan on X, and at on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Venezuelan national posed as teen to enroll at Ohio high school
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
Ohio teacher placed on leave after allegedly visiting student's home to demand missing homework
An Ohio teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a student's family reported that the educator showed up at their home to demand missing homework. The teacher showed up unannounced at the student's home on Wednesday and requested that the child grab the missing homework assignment, the family said. During the interaction between the teacher and the student, a parent arrived home and confronted the teacher on the front porch. The Hull Prairie Intermediate School (HPI) teacher will remain on leave pending the outcome of an investigation, Perrysburg Schools officials said in a statement. School Bus Caught On Camera Engulfed In Flames After Driver's 'Quick Response' Saves Students From Inferno The parent later e-mailed school administrators to inform them of the incident, and the teacher was placed on leave the following day. Police also opened an investigation into the incident. Read On The Fox News App "While we are limited in what we can share due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the ongoing police investigation, please be assured that we take any concerns regarding student safety with the utmost seriousness," Perrysburg Schools Superintendent Thomas Hosler said in a message to families. "The well-being of our students remains our highest priority, and we are fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities," Hosler continued. High School Basketball Player Goes Below The Belt On Opponent In Cheap Shot During District Championship Game The school district is "committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all students," Hosler said, adding that staff members are expected to "uphold professional boundaries" and "exercise sound judgment" in accordance with their legal, professional and ethical responsibilities. Hosler said the district will take action when a staff member's actions do not align with these standards. The district is following all required procedures outlined in the Ohio Revised Code and the applicable collective bargaining agreement, he noted. "These steps are essential to ensure due process is followed, protect the integrity of the investigation, and preserve the district's ability to take appropriate action in response to the incident," Hosler said. He continued, "We are grateful to the family who reported this concern immediately, allowing us to act quickly. We encourage all students and families to speak up whenever they have concerns about staff conduct so we can address them right away. We appreciate your patience and understanding as this investigation continues. We will provide updates as we are able, within the limits of the law."Original article source: Ohio teacher placed on leave after allegedly visiting student's home to demand missing homework
Fox News
25-03-2025
- Fox News
Ohio teacher placed on leave after allegedly visiting student's home to demand missing homework
An Ohio teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a student's family reported that the educator showed up at their home to demand missing homework. The teacher showed up unannounced at the student's home on Wednesday and requested that the child grab the missing homework assignment, the family said. During the interaction between the teacher and the student, a parent arrived home and confronted the teacher on the front porch. The Hull Prairie Intermediate School (HPI) teacher will remain on leave pending the outcome of an investigation, Perrysburg Schools officials said in a statement. The parent later e-mailed school administrators to inform them of the incident, and the teacher was placed on leave the following day. Police also opened an investigation into the incident. "While we are limited in what we can share due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the ongoing police investigation, please be assured that we take any concerns regarding student safety with the utmost seriousness," Perrysburg Schools Superintendent Thomas Hosler said in a message to families. "The well-being of our students remains our highest priority, and we are fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities," Hosler continued. The school district is "committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all students," Hosler said, adding that staff members are expected to "uphold professional boundaries" and "exercise sound judgment" in accordance with their legal, professional and ethical responsibilities. Hosler said the district will take action when a staff member's actions do not align with these standards. The district is following all required procedures outlined in the Ohio Revised Code and the applicable collective bargaining agreement, he noted. "These steps are essential to ensure due process is followed, protect the integrity of the investigation, and preserve the district's ability to take appropriate action in response to the incident," Hosler said. He continued, "We are grateful to the family who reported this concern immediately, allowing us to act quickly. We encourage all students and families to speak up whenever they have concerns about staff conduct so we can address them right away. We appreciate your patience and understanding as this investigation continues. We will provide updates as we are able, within the limits of the law."
