Man Pleads Guilty in Camden to Fraudulently Obtaining U.S. Citizenship

Camden, N.J. — A man who was deported from the United States after a criminal conviction used someone else's identity to re-enter the country and obtain U.S. citizenship, then lied about his identity and criminal history on his application.

41-year-old Carlos Gonzalez-Rodriguez, also known as Braulio Cepeda-Rodriguez, a native of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty August 25th in Camden federal court.

Federal authorities said Gonzalez-Rodriguez had previously been deported following a conviction for attempted armed robbery. He re-entered the United States using another person's identity and used that false identity to apply for and obtain U.S. citizenship, lying on his application about his name, date of birth, criminal history, and prior deportation.

At sentencing, the court will revoke his citizenship.

He faces a maximum of ten years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 1st, 2027.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations under Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy.

Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com