Immigration impostor gets 14 months in prison

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona handed down yesterday a 14-month prison term against Virgilio R. Patubo, a Filipino who impersonated another person in applying for nonimmigrant documents.

“Your conduct shows complete disregard to our country.” Manglona said in handing the higher end of the sentencing guidelines range. “You have completely disregarded people’s trust.”

Patubo was given credit for time served. After completing his prison term, he will be immediately deported.

Patubo was ordered to pay a $300 special assessment fee.

Before the sentence was handed down, Patubo was allowed to speak. With a translator beside him, Patubo offered a tearful apology in Tagalog. He admitted committing crimes by using a different name to enter the CNMI.

He apologized to the court and to the U.S. government. He said with his conduct, he hurt his family and a lot of people, including the real Joseph Roque, the name that he used.

“It was so difficult for me to live a lie for 10 years by using a different name,” Patubo said.

He said he could not explain to his three minor U.S. children what he did.

Patubo said he accepts whatever the sentence the court would impose on him.

Patubo’s three other children from his original wife in the Philippines are now adults.

The defendant thanked the court for the opportunity to express himself.

“Somehow I am free,” he said.

In rendering the sentence, Manglona noted that in 2011, 2012, and 2013, Patubo told U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that he was Joseph Mendiola Roque.

The judge noted that Patubo was convicted in federal court of a very serious offense, distributiona of methamphetamine or “ice,” and was sentenced in 1999 to 42 months in prison.

Manglona said Patubo was subsequently deported from the CNMI in 2002.

Manglona said when Patubo was removed, he knew he was no longer welcome in any part of the U.S.

The judge said Patubo came back to Saipan in 2003 on a tourist visa using the name Joseph Mendiola Roque and entered again later as a contract worker.

Manglona said when he came to Saipan, Patubo later married a woman by not disclosing his real identity to her, and they have three minor children.

“It’s a sad situation for the three minor children,” Manglona said.

Last March, federal agents arrested Patubo after an indictment was filed charging him with three counts of false personation in immigration matters. He pleaded guilty to all charges.

According to the indictment, Patubo impersonated a Joseph Mendiola Roque when applying for a CW-2 visa on Nov. 18, 2011.

Patubo also passed himself as Roque when applying for a humanitarian parole application on May 19, 2012, and on Feb. 2, 2013.