A 24-year-old Venezuelan father, Anthony Labrador, has been accused of posing as a high school student in Ohio, enrolling in school, and even being taken in by a local family. He now faces forgery charges and may be deported.
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According to 13 ABC, Labrador allegedly contacted Perrysburg High School back in November 2023, claiming he had been trafficked from Venezuela. Police documents reveal that he claimed to be 16 years old, providing a supposed birthdate of December 2, 2007. Two months later, in January 2024, he began attending school after providing what appeared to be a legitimate Venezuelan birth certificate.
During the enrollment process, a family that had housed exchange students and even adopted children was contacted about Labrador. In March 2024, Labrador moved in with them and was even granted temporary guardianship over Labrador. Months later, in November 2024, they had permanent guardianship over him.
Throughout this process, the family helped Labrador get a Social Security number and was even granted an Ohio driver’s license. The Venezuelan father’s alleged ruse seemed to have worked wonders for him, as he also managed to complete a visa application, receiving a Temporary Protective Status from the U.S. Immigration Department, according to a school letter.
Alleged Ruse Discovered
However, all changed after the mother of Labrador’s child contacted his “legal guardian” on May 14, 2025. The mother shockingly revealed that the supposed now-17-year-old was a 24-year-old father. Allegedly, Labrador even had children living in the U.S., as per the New York Post. The legal guardian received proof, including pictures and documents. Among them was an Ohio driver’s license belonging to Labrador, which displayed a March 27, 2001, birthdate.
As per WTOL, while investigating the case, district leaders came across social media posts from people who claimed to be Labrador’s family. At that point, the school district contacted the authorities.
Labrador was finally arrested on Monday, May 19, 2025, during a traffic stop. He had been attending Perrysburg High School for 14 months. According to the Post, Labrador even managed to play sports in two teams at the school. He allegedly played with children close to 10 years younger than him.
“Through our investigation and working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, it was discovered that Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, a 24-year-old from Venezuela, had used fraudulent documents to enroll in Perrysburg Schools, and was posing as a 17-year-old high school student,” the Perrysburg Police Division said in a statement, as per WTOL.
Anthony Labrador was charged with felony forgery. As per 13 ABC, he pleaded not guilty on May 20. He is currently being held on a $50,000 bond at no 10%. Should he post bond, he will wear an ankle monitor and will stay 2 miles from the school and from the family that took him in. He is not allowed to leave Wood County, Ohio. According to the Post, he could face deportation due to his status as a non-US citizen.