24-year-old Venezuelan Who Posed as a 16-year-old Student at Ohio School for 15 Months Faces Up to 30 Years in Prison
Perrysburg, Ohio — A shocking case of identity fraud has rocked the quiet community of Perrysburg after authorities uncovered that a 24-year-old Venezuelan national posed as a 16-year-old high school student for over a year, living under a web of forged documents, false claims, and federal benefits.
The man, identified as Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra, wove a deception that began in November 2023 when he approached Perrysburg High School officials. Claiming to be a homeless immigrant trafficked from Venezuela, he presented a forged birth certificate listing his birthdate as December 2, 2007, making him appear to be just 16.
By law, public schools must enroll unhoused minors. Perrysburg administrators followed procedure, admitting him in January 2024 under the name “Anthony Labrador.” A local couple, the Mefferds, believed his story and welcomed him into their home. In early 2024, Wood County Juvenile Court even granted them guardianship, which later became permanent.
With that foundation, Labrador-Sierra obtained an official Social Security number, an Ohio driver’s license, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a federal program that shields certain immigrants from deportation and grants work authorization. Using his falsified documents, he even applied again for TPS in February 2024 through the University of Toledo College of Law.
In reality, Labrador-Sierra had entered the U.S. legally on a tourist visa in 2019 but overstayed after it expired in 2020. Border Patrol later confirmed his true date of birth: March 27, 2001.
Meanwhile, he blended into high school life. He joined the junior varsity soccer team—competing against 14-year-olds—and swam for the JV squad. Teammates noticed his unusually mature build. “He just looked more like a man,” one recalled.
HOLY SHLIT. Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, a 24yo Venezuelan national, was arrested in Ohio after he reportedly posed as a 16yo in order to enroll in school back in January of 2024.
Anthony was in the US under a Temporary Protected Status during Biden’s presidency.
He is… pic.twitter.com/eBcLflPFlc
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 20, 2025
The deception stretched beyond sports. In July 2022, before posing as a student, Labrador-Sierra purchased a Taurus G3C 9mm handgun at a Bass Pro Shops in Rossford, Ohio. On ATF paperwork, he falsely claimed U.S. citizenship and used a fraudulent Ohio license. When investigators later searched his residence, they discovered the firearm hidden under his mattress alongside three loaded magazines, cash, a prepaid phone, and a fake Michigan driver’s license.
The charade began to collapse in May 2025. A woman identified in court records as E.C. contacted the Mefferds, alleging Labrador-Sierra was the father of her 2-year-old child. She provided photos of his driver’s license and Social Security card showing his real 2001 birthdate. Facebook images surfaced as further proof, including a birthday post from a family member identifying him as 24.
When confronted by school officials on May 15, 2025, Labrador-Sierra denied everything, insisting the 2007 birth certificate was legitimate. He was promptly barred from school property. Four days later, Perrysburg police arrested him during a traffic stop. He was charged with felony forgery and held on $50,000 bond. ICE soon lodged a detainer, and local charges were transferred to federal court.
By June 25, 2025, a grand jury indicted him on four federal counts:
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Possession of a firearm by an illegal alien (up to 15 years).
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Making a false statement in a firearm purchase (up to 10 years).
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Two counts of falsifying documents (up to 5 years each).
Prosecutors described his conduct as a “complex tapestry of lies.”
🚨 Wood County, OH: 24-year-old Illegal alien Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra has been charged with Forgery and accused of pretending to be a minor while attending a local high school. pic.twitter.com/gDAGVXhpa5
— Illegal Alien Crimes (@ImmigrantCrimes) May 21, 2025
After initially pleading not guilty, Labrador-Sierra reversed course on September 22, 2025, in Toledo federal court. He pleaded guilty to all charges and now faces sentencing on January 23, 2026. He could serve up to 30 years in prison.
The case underscores vulnerabilities in programs like TPS, enacted in 1990 to assist those fleeing war and disaster. Venezuela was designated in 2021, and more than 500,000 Venezuelans now hold TPS. Critics say the program, combined with lax border enforcement, enables abuse by fraudsters.
What began as a community’s act of compassion ended with betrayal and danger. A grown man lived among schoolchildren, obtained firearms under false pretenses, and manipulated federal programs.
As President Trump has repeatedly warned, without strict enforcement of immigration laws and tougher vetting of documents, communities remain exposed to exploitation. One forged birth certificate was all it took for a dangerous fraud to thrive—until the truth finally caught up.
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