A 41-year-old Filipina may face up to 20 years in jail if proven guilty after she was arrested for allegedly forging IDs and passports in Las Vegas.
The woman, who authorities identified as Rachelle Miclat, was found to have had in her house an “active forgery lab” complete with printing equipment, laminating machines, ink, and multiple forged passports and IDs, according to a report by The Filipino Channel’s “Balitang America.”
Authorities said a Nevada driver’s license with the alias name “Rachelle Tylo” was also found in her house and is being investigated.
Bail for Miclat has been set at $20,000.
The U.S. passport is the most valuable identity document in the world, according to the U.S. Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), which has been investigating passport and visa fraud since 1916. A U.S. passport establishes American citizenship and allows holders access to over 160 countries in the world visa-free or with visa on arrival.
According to DS, passport and visa crimes are federal crimes and those found guilty are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The prison sentence is increased to 15 years if the offense is connected to drug trafficking, and 20 years if connected to terrorism.
