Dominican man pleads guilty to ID and welfare fraud

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A Dominican man who had previously been deported has pleaded guilty to re-entering the U.S. illegally, then using stolen Social Security numbers and identities to obtain health care and welfare benefits.

Federal prosecutors in Rhode Island say 38-year-old Carlos Jose Portes-Ortiz, of Pawtucket, pleaded guilty Wednesday to health care fraud, food stamp fraud, misuse of Social Security numbers, aggravated identity theft, and illegal re-entry.

Prosecutors say Portes-Ortiz, who uses several aliases, was deported in February 2009 after his conviction on drug crimes in 2007.

He was arrested again in Rhode Island in 2015 and Massachusetts in 2017, the second time trying to buy electronics with a driver’s license and credit card in a woman’s name. Further investigation uncovered the welfare fraud. Portes-Ortiz was identified through fingerprints.

Sentencing is Jan. 10.