ATHENS, Ga. — Two brothers, along with their former roommate, are set to be deported after admitting to possessing counterfeit green cards, according to federal authorities. The individuals are connected to Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who was previously sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the murder of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student. This case has become a significant issue in discussions on immigration.
Diego Ibarra, 29, was apprehended after presenting a fake green card to an officer who was investigating the February 2024 murder. The Justice Department highlighted this development following Diego’s connections to his brother Jose’s criminal activities. The same investigation uncovered that another brother, Argenis Ibarra, 25, and their previous roommate, Rosbeli Flores-Bello, 29, also possessed fake green cards. Authorities found counterfeit Social Security cards of the duo in the apartment shared with Diego and Jose Ibarra.
During legal proceedings, Diego Ibarra pleaded guilty in July to two counts of possessing fraudulent documents. He received a four-year federal prison sentence, after which he will be handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation. This information was reiterated in a Department of Justice announcement.
Argenis Ibarra and Rosbeli Flores-Bello, having each admitted to one count of fake documentation possession, were given “time served” sentences. They were promptly transferred to ICE custody for deportation. Details on the specific plans for their deportation were not provided in the official statement.
Further investigations by federal authorities assert that Diego Ibarra is potentially associated with the Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua. This claim is supported by his numerous tattoos and the presence of social media images showing him wearing gang-related attire and making affiliated gang signs.
