Opinion ID: 77212
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: On November 20, 2002, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Amadou Fall Ndiaye, Agung Sumbodo, Emmanuel Aimasiko, Malene Diaw and 24 other defendants with violating 18 U.S.C. § 371 by a conspiracy to commit identification documentation fraud and Social Security fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028(a)(1), (2) and (6) and 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(6); and conspiracy to encourage and induce aliens to unlawfully enter and reside illegally in the United States, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv). Aimasiko, Ndiaye, and Sumbodo were also charged with substantive counts of encouraging and inducing aliens to reside illegally in the United States, in violation of § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) (Counts 20, 27, and 28). Sumbodo and Diaw were also charged with substantive counts of making false statements in an application for a Social Security number, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a) (Counts 4 and 6). On February 18, 2003, the Government filed a superseding indictment alleging 41 counts against the same 28 defendants. The charges against these four individuals remained the same. The jury trial began on October 27, 2003. On November 18, 2003, guilty verdicts were returned against all four defendants. Diaw and Sumbodo were convicted of all crimes with which they were charged. Ndiaye and Aimasiko were convicted of conspiracy and acquitted of encouraging and inducing an alien to reside in the United States. The district court imposed the following sentences: (1) Ndiaye was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment for one count of conspiring to commit identification document fraud and Social Security fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; (2) Sumbodo was sentenced to 44 months for one count of conspiring to commit Social Security fraud and immigration fraud, in violation of § 371, one count of making false statements on Social Security applications, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a), and one count of encouraging aliens to reside in the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) and 18 U.S.C. § 2; (3) Aimasiko was sentenced to 21 months for one count of conspiring to commit Social Security fraud and immigration fraud, in violation of § 371; and (4) Diaw was sentenced to 18 months for one count of conspiracy to commit Social Security fraud and immigration fraud, in violation of § 371, and one count of making false statements on Social Security applications, in violation of § 1001(a). All four defendants filed timely notices of appeal. Diaw has served her sentence and been deported. Ndiaye is on bond pending appeal. Aimasiko and Sumbodo were serving their sentences at the time the briefs were filed in this appeal. For the reasons given herein, we affirm the Appellants' convictions and sentences.