PHOENIX — A 60-year-old Mexican man living in Arizona has been indicted for passport and visa fraud after authorities discovered he used the identity of a deceased U.S. child for nearly four decades, officials announced Thursday.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Enrrique Vazquez was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Phoenix. Prosecutors say he first obtained a U.S. passport in 1986 using the identity of Gene Edward Katzorke, a 2-year-old who died in 1966.
Using a U.S. birth certificate, an Arizona driver’s license, and the child’s identity, Vazquez successfully renewed the passport multiple times over the years—until his application was flagged in 2022.
Cemetery Visit Sparked Stolen Identity
Investigators with the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) uncovered an obituary linking Katzorke’s name to the 1960s. They later found Katzorke’s identity in criminal databases connected to Vazquez.
When Vazquez returned to the Western Passport Center in March 2025 to renew his passport once again, authorities were waiting. He was arrested at his scheduled appointment.
According to court documents, Vazquez admitted he was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and chose Katzorke’s nameafter visiting a cemetery.
Military Service and Dark Past
Authorities said Vazquez had even joined the U.S. military under the false identity. However, after being charged in connection with the homicide of a nine-month-old child in Tucson, he fled to Mexico.
Years later, he was deported back to the U.S. under the assumption that he was a U.S. citizen, continuing to live under the stolen identity until now.
Vazquez faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
