The Case of Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra: Identity Fraud in the Educational and Immigration System
The case of Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, a 24-year-old Venezuelan citizen, has gained significant attention in the United States after it was revealed that he allegedly impersonated a minor to enroll at Perrysburg High School in Ohio, where he remained a student from January 2024 until May 2025.
An Unusual Case
On May 19, 2025, Perrysburg police arrested Labrador Sierra during a traffic stop, charging him with aggravated forgery. According to various reports, including from The Daily Wire, the young man had enrolled in the school using a false identity: “Anthony Labrador,” claiming to be 16 years old and an unaccompanied minor. His purported birth date was December 2, 2007.
For over a year, Sierra actively participated in student life, joining the soccer and swim teams, as reported by OutKick. In court documents, he also claimed to be a victim of human trafficking from Venezuela. However, subsequent investigations debunked this narrative: he is 24 years old and has children residing in the United States, as confirmed by the prosecution.
Use of Fraudulent Documentation
To support his false identity, Labrador Sierra presented forged documents which enabled him to receive multiple benefits:
A Social Security number.
Ohio driver’s license.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from the Department of Immigration.
Legal guardianship granted by the Wood County Juvenile Court, allowing him to live with a local family.
The superintendent of the Perrysburg School District, Thomas Hosler, confirmed these facts in a letter to parents and community members, according to Yahoo News. In it, he emphasized that Sierra was treated compassionately and received academic and community support while presenting himself as a vulnerable minor.
Discovery and Reaction
The fraud was unveiled on May 14, 2025, when a woman—who claimed to be the mother of his child—contacted the host family, revealing that Sierra was 24 years old. The family alerted the school district, prompting a police investigation. The Perrysburg Police Division, along with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), confirmed his true identity.
Five days later, on May 19, Sierra was arrested and remains detained in the Wood County Jail with a bail set at $50,000. According to court records, if he is released, he cannot leave the county.
Serious Charges
Labrador Sierra faces charges of aggravated forgery, a felony in Ohio. The investigation is ongoing, and new charges are not ruled out, according to Detective Ryan Merrow.
Although Labrador Sierra fraudulently obtained Temporary Protected Status (TPS), this case comes at a time when the Supreme Court authorized (on May 19, 2025) the Trump administration to revoke TPS for over 300,000 Venezuelans.
Legal documents indicate that Labrador Sierra’s case highlights concerning vulnerabilities in identity verification mechanisms in educational and immigration institutions. The ease with which he obtained key documents raises serious doubts about current controls and compels authorities to reevaluate the system.
Response from the School District and the Community
In his public letter, Superintendent Hosler described the case as “devastating” and lamented the deception but also defended the actions of school staff and families who, acting in good faith, offered help to someone they believed was a vulnerable teenager.
The local community has reacted with a mix of surprise, indignation, and reflection. Parents, teachers, and citizens have called for an evaluation of the safety of the enrollment system and for stricter measures to prevent similar incidents.