Filipino to serve jail time for using stolen US identities on cruise to Alaska

NEW YORK — A Filipino has been sentenced to more than four years in prison after being caught using stolen identities of US citizens and impersonating an American to board a cruise ship bound for Alaska.

According to a statement by the United States Attorney's Office in Alaska, court records showed that 38-year-od Enrico Ronquillo falsely claimed to be a US citizen instead of being a lawful permanent resident when he boarded a cruise ship in Seattle on May 11, 2025.

Ronquillo allegedly used a counterfeit California driver's license and a California birth certificate containing a victim's personal information while aboard the ship.

The indictment further alleges that Ronquillo created and used a fraudulent IRS Form W-9 containing the victim's name, signature, address, and Social Security number.

The Filipino's actions were uncovered when US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspected the vessel upon its arrival in Juneau, Alaska, on May 14, 2025.

Authorities recovered two birth certificates and a California driver's license from Ronquillo that were believed to be fraudulent and contained the personal information of an identity theft victim.

Investigators also discovered that Ronquillo used another person's credit card information to obtain money while gambling at the ship's casino.

On February 19, 2026, Ronquillo pleaded guilty to one count of false impersonation of a US citizen and one count of aggravated identity theft.

In addition to serving more than four years in prison, he was ordered to complete one year of supervised release.

The court also ordered him to pay more than $25,000 in restitution to the victims and face deportation proceedings after completing his prison sentence.

Ronquillo is expected to face deportation from the United States upon his release.

In a statement, CBP Director of Field Operations in San Francisco David A. Salazar said individuals who abuse the system will be held accountable under the law.

"Identity theft and false impersonation threaten the security of our communities and the trust placed in our processes,” Salazar said.

"CBP will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to detect, deter, and bring to justice those who attempt to exploit our systems. I commend our officers and all agencies involved for their outstanding work in this investigation," he said. — VDV, GMA News