Orange City, Iowa — A Hull man has been sentenced to a seven-year prison term on identity theft and drug charges.
Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle says that 39-year-old Angel Ortiz-Ramirez of Sioux Center and Hull, was sentenced on Monday, April 6, 2015, in Sioux County District Court for the crimes of Identity Theft, a Class D Felony; and two counts of Possession of Methamphetamine, Serious Misdemeanors.
On July 4 and July 5, 2014, Ortiz-Ramirez participated in two separate controlled purchases of methamphetamine conducted by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office. Ortiz-Ramirez was also on probation for domestic abuse assault stemming from an incident in June of the same year. After an application alleged he violated his probation, he was arrested and police discovered a W-2 IRS form in his pocket. The W-2 form contained Ortiz-Ramirez’s name and an unknown Social Security number which turned out to belong to someone else. An investigation revealed Ortiz-Ramirez committed identity theft by using the forged documents to secure employment at Premium Iowa Pork in Hospers. Ortiz-Ramirez, a native of Mexico, is not legally authorized to be employed in the United States.
Oritz-Ramirez was sentenced to a total indeterminate prison term not to exceed seven years. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a hold on Ortiz-Ramirez and, upon the expiration of his prison term, ICE will take custody of Ortiz-Ramirez and begin deportation proceedings.
