Posted on 05/07/2004 5:30:42 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952
Undocumented immigrant was posing as Austin woman
By Tony Plohetski
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, May 7, 2004
In February 2003, Airman 1st Class Cristina Alaniz, 24, was preparing to leave Moody Air Force Base in Georgia to return to Iraq, where she would spend six months protecting military convoys and installations from attack.
She was pursuing her dream, serving her country. During her 2 1/2 years in the Air Force, she had crossed the globe and spent four months in Kuwait during the prelude to war with Iraq.
Four states away, 22-year-old Cristina Alaniz of Austin logged onto a Web site to check her credit rating. Up popped 30 pages with $51,116 in charges, along with a notation that she was in the U.S. Air Force.
The Texas State University-San Marcos student tried to figure out the mix-up for months. Then she called police.
After witnessing the fall of Baghdad, Airman Alaniz returned to Georgia in August to learn her secret life was crumbling: The person whose identity she had assumed wasn't dead, despite what she had been told, and police in Austin and at her base had launched an investigation to learn who the real Cristina Alaniz was.
They soon learned that the airman was really an undocumented immigrant from Mexico.
Airman Alaniz's ability to use false documents -- a Social Security card and a birth certificate -- to join the Air Force raises a troubling question: Could terrorists or other U.S. enemies use the same method to infiltrate the military?
"I was concerned this was an espionage case," said Austin police Detective Andrew Perkel. "If someone is in the military under an assumed identity, it raises the question why."
Air Force and Pentagon officials did not comment on that question Thursday. An Air Force spokesman said recruits go through extensive background checks, performed by the military and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and must show a Social Security card, driver's license and a birth certificate.
The Air Force said it is investigating the case.
The woman who called herself Cristina Alaniz surrendered at the Lowndes County Jail in Valdosta, Ga., on Tuesday and was released on bail the same day after being charged with fraudulent use or possession of identifying information.
She could face two years behind bars, a dishonorable discharge and deportation to Mexico. Because the victim lives in Austin, the case will be heard in Travis County, Perkel said. A hearing is scheduled next month.
Airman Alaniz said she was shocked when authorities confronted her about her true identity.
"I decided to just come out, tell the truth and face the facts," she said by phone from Georgia on Thursday. "My intentions were never to hurt this girl."
A change of identity
Her real name is Liliana Plata.
She said she was 10 when her recently divorced mother brought her from Mexico City to the U.S. border, where they passed unchallenged -- and illegally -- into California.
Once in the United States, Plata said, she and her mother bounced around several California towns, including Salinas, where she spent her senior year in high school. Her mother got jobs as a clerk at flea markets, but Plata yearned to join the military, with its opportunities for good wages, benefits and service.
"It was just a thing I wanted to do," she said. "I just love this country so much, and serving it was the best thing I could do."
Plata said several recruiters in Salinas told her she needed a Social Security card to join. A friend gave her the name of a man in Los Angeles who sold new identities, and Plata, then 18, borrowed $2,000 from her mother and went to see him.
"He told me he had documents about Cristina Alaniz," Plata said. "I asked this man, 'Are you sure this girl is deceased?' He said, 'Yes, all you have to do is start your life under this girl's name.'
"And it was just like Liliana Plata dropped off the face of the Earth. I just became this new person."
That new person became a military police officer in 2000 after basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio -- less than a two-hour drive from where the real Cristina Alaniz lived.
After Lackland, she was assigned to Moody Air Force Base and was briefly married as she served around the globe. In March 2003 she joined Operation Iraqi Freedom. As part of the 822nd Security Forces Squadron, she said, she helped guard Tallil Air Base and traveled to and from Kuwait to help protect supply convoys.
"It was kind of dangerous doing that stuff," she said. "You always get nervous, especially because you don't know what could happen."
Tracking her name
Each time Cristina Alaniz attempted to bank online by typing her Social Security number, she said, she was booted off the system with a note declaring her password wasn't valid.
"I just thought my computer was horrible," she said. "My bank also called me to verify who I was."
Alaniz said she discounted the possibility of identity theft for months, even after checking her credit rating. She was busy, carrying an 18-hour courseload and taking a correspondence course.
She said she began calling Social Security offices during the summer of 2003, and an agent delivered a stark message over the phone: "Your identity has been stolen."
Alaniz said the credit rating showed the person was assigned to Moody. She said authorities at the base initially brushed her off but eventually conceded that a problem could exist.
"It was just very confusing," she said. "It seemed like they were confused themselves."
By August, a full investigation by the military and Austin police was under way, and Alaniz was meeting with officials from both agencies. She also began notifying about 20 businesses that her identity had been used by someone else.
High evaluations
Plata is now fighting to stay in the Air Force and avoid being deported.
She has consistently received the highest rating on performance evaluations, her lawyer said, and has earned an Air Force Achievement Medal. She says she is not responsible for the $51,000 in charges Alaniz discovered on her credit report -- she wonders whether the document broker sold Alaniz's identity to other people.
"I don't condone fraudulent enlistment," said her military lawyer, Capt. Randy Hicks. "But when all the mitigating factors are considered, her service in the war and the fact that she was brought to this country at age 10, she is by and large a victim of the circumstances she was in.
"The real question is, 'What is appropriate action?' " Hicks said.
Perkel, the Austin detective, said he filed state charges after the military told him this spring it would not prosecute Plata because she had been a model airman.
Capt. Erin Dick, spokeswoman for Moody Air Force Base, said in a written statement that military policy makes discharge mandatory for undocumented immigrants discovered in the service. She said Plata now is performing administrative duties for her squadron, and her secret clearance has been revoked.
Plata said she fears what will now happen to her, but said her experience in the military has changed her life.
"It has just been incredible," she said. "They have offered me so much, a career and a different life. I'm so grateful for the military, for everything they gave me.
"It's just kind of hard knowing that I'm going to lose it all."
Texas State University (aka SWT) is in San Marcos... Hays County.
The Travis County DA is a RAT with ties to the DNC, and has tried to punish Tom Delay and Republicans for successfully passing redistricting that correctly aligns representation in the upcoming election.
Look for this to take a dive to the "poor victim" side and Ronnie Earl will plea bargain probation.
Ronnie Earl is worthless.
If only she lived in Round Rock.... then it would be tried in Williamson County, and the thief would get 500 years in Abu Grab Prison, Baghdad.
Uh, duh!!!
Ticked off morning ping. I got so upset and totally PO'ed at hearing C. Rangel on the news this morning, I had to compose an email to my congressman. There were some very heated words for my district's Representative and I expect some rebuttals for the constant criticism of this administration by the left and the media.
I am listening to a talk show in Austin (San-fran-way-out-yonder-cisco of Texas) and people are calling in asking for Rumfield's head as well. Of course, there were one or two that actually defended him and actually blamed the soldiers and their commanders. I wanted to call in and ask if there were anyone who thought that a VP of a large company should be responsible for a screw-up by a person on the assembly line several thousands of miles away, but have yet to get an open line.
Just in case you can't tell, I am glad there is a spell check on FR. I can't type today, because I am very pi$$ed off.
That being said, I for one appreciate her commitment, service, and loyalty to her adopted country. Perhaps this can be used to provide true legal status under the name Liliana Plata, once she rectifies her glaring mistakes of the past few years.
.....and vote Democrat!
Why was this felon released?
What is unclear here? This person has violated multiple state and federal laws and become part of an organized criminal operation.
Yes, she has been a good Service member. Good for that. But this has all been done under fraudulent circumstances.
Sorry, I don't have much pity here. Lets also keep in mind who the real victim is.
My people are keeping their distance from me today..... Wonder why????? I think one may have overheard me talking to one of my Senator's office staff earlier......, and tipped off the rest of the crew!!!!
That way you can listen to all the T-Sippers rag on someone who, unlike Rummy REALLY deserves it...MACK BROWN!!! LMAO!!! hahahahahahahaha!!! Sorry I couldn't resist!
OK. Take a look at reply #13 from me to beachn4fun.
Don't worry, I can't stand UT at all. My daughter is going to TAMU and got several scholarships from A&M. Her high school had the awards and scholarship presentations last night. Some of her classmates asked to have her sit at the end of the row of chairs, because everyone knew she had quite a few awards coming. She was #3 in her class of 88 and got award after award. I felt sorry for some of the kids, as they got only one or two.
GIG 'EM AGGIES!!
I can answer that with one four letter word (acronym): ACLU
If she's motivated enough to do that...then I wouldn't have a problem with it.
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