Joseph Sanchez, a 33-year-old resident of Fairbury, Illinois, has been sentenced to five years of federal probation for his involvement in an immigration marriage fraud conspiracy. The sentencing was announced by Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.
Court documents reveal that in August 2021, Sanchez was approached by a foreign national working at a convenience store near his home in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The foreign national proposed paying Sanchez $10,000 to find a woman willing to marry him so he could obtain a Green Card. Sanchez agreed and arranged for his sister-in-law to marry the foreign national.
Sanchez’s sister-in-law had limited interactions with the foreign national prior to their September 2021 marriage in White Sulphur Springs. In March 2023, Sanchez accompanied the couple to Pittsburgh for an interview with U.S. immigration officials, intending to deceive them about the authenticity of the marriage. The plan failed, and the foreign national’s application was denied.
The foreign national involved, Aakash Prakash Makwana, aged 29 and unlawfully residing in Ronceverte, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2025, to aggravated identity theft. He admitted falsifying a lease agreement as part of the scheme and is scheduled for sentencing on September 26, 2025.
Kalee Ann Huff, Sanchez’s sister-in-law from Fairbury, Illinois, pleaded guilty on February 20, 2025, to marriage fraud and perjury related charges. She admitted her involvement in the scheme and providing false testimony before a federal grand jury. Her sentencing is set for June 12, 2025.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed Sanchez’s sentence while Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Further information can be found on PACER under Case No. 5:24-cr-198.
