Visitor admits to giving false information to get BVI visa

Victor Pimedo Santos, the Dominican Republic man who reportedly provided false information to a public officer to obtain a BVI visa, has pleaded guilty.

Santos, however, pleaded not guilty to personation as well as possession of an irregular document when he appeared before Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-DaBreo on Monday.

His premise for pleading not guilty to the last two charges was that, reportedly, he never actually presented himself to local Immigration officials as any other person besides ‘Victor Pimedo Santos’, which is his real name.

Considering that rationale, even Magistrate DaBreo said she does not fully understand how Santos became to be charged with personation and possession of an irregular document.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to April 1, at which time the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution is expected to inform the court on the way forward as it relates to the two charges to which Santos pleaded not guilty.

Santos will remain on remand until then.

What prosecutors alleged

The court heard that on January 15 this year, a BVI visa application containing false information was submitted for Santos.

Prosecutors said his document indicated that he had never travelled outside of the Dominican Republic, he never previously held a passport, nor has he had any previous convictions. As such, the visa was granted to the accused.

The court heard that on February 12, Santos travelled to the territory via the TB Lettsome International Airport. During a search of his luggage, documents bearing the name of ‘Angel Louis Dias Roman’ were allegedly uncovered.

It is alleged that among those documents were a US driver’s license, a Puerto Rican birth certificate and bank cards bearing the aforesaid Puerto Rican name, which was his fake identity.

He was subsequently denied entry and immediately arrested. During an interview with police, the accused allegedly confessed that he had been to St Maarten and the US Virgin Islands via similar illegal means.

Other information also allegedly withheld

The court heard that he also told police that he withheld that and other information when he applied for a BVI visa application.

It is alleged that he further admitted that the fake name on the documents in question was illegally obtained so he could live and work in the countries as mentioned earlier.

He also confessed to previously owning a passport but denied having a criminal record, the court was told.

The court further heard that Santos allegedly held a lengthy criminal record and had been deported on two occasions from a United States territory.