Monday, January 31, 2011

Mexican Actress Romero Pleads Guilty In U.S. Immigration Marriage Sham Case

Fernanda Romero
Mexican Actress

Romero and husband both lied to immigration officials

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 31, 2011

Los Angeles, CA - On Friday, Fernanda Romero, 28, pleaded guilty to lying to immigration officials about her husband's close relationship with her mother. Romero had been charged with marriage sham in order to get permanent residency and remain in the U.S.
Her husband, Kent Ross, 28, was also charged in the sham marriage case. He worked at a pizza place and entered into a marriage agreement with Romero.
Romero had told immigration officials that her mother and Ross had a close relationship and spent lots of time together. Which in fact, officials discovered they only saw each other twice.
She had told investigators, that both Ross and her were living together. Officials reported they actually lived apart and dated other people. Romero's live in boyfriend reported the marriage sham to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after they separated.
Romero will be sentenced on April 11 by U.S. District Judge Manuel Real and several other charges will be dismissed, according to court records. She was facing, fines, probation and five years in a federal prison. But under the plea agreement, Romero is expected to be deported and won't be able to ever enter the U.S. under the felony conviction.
Ross pleaded guilty to lying as well in immigration forms that he and Romero lived together after they were married in 2005. He has a plea hearing set for Feb. 4.
Federal charges alleged that Romero paid Ross $5,000 in 2005 to marry her, so she could stay in the country.
The ICE investigation found that Romero never lived with Ross as required when she applied for naturalization. Instead, she moved in with Markus Klinko a photographer, her then boyfriend. Romero had recently broke her relationship with Klinko, who inspite informed ICE and provided proof she was in a phony arranged marriage with Ross.

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