SAN FRANCISCO – Shakisha Haskins was sentenced, on Wednesday, to a year and a day in prison for using a passport secured by a false statement and making false statements to a government agency after using a fraudulently obtained passport and other false information to gain access to a repatriation flight from India, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and U.S. State Department, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), San Francisco Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew Perlman. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable James Donato, U.S. District Judge.

“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is firmly committed to working with the U.S. Department of Justice and our local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute all criminal activity related to passport fraud, identity theft, and theft of public money,” said Special Agent in Charge Perlman. “The strong relationship we enjoy with our partners, including U.S. Customs and Border protection, is vital towards preventing fugitives from concealing their attempts to enter the U.S., ensuring the integrity of U.S. travel documents, and protecting greater U.S. interests.”

Haskins pleaded guilty to the charges on September 23, 2020.  According to her plea agreement, Haskins admitted that in 2017 she obtained a passport by submitting fraudulent documents or information, including the victim’s social security number, birth certificate, and driver’s license.  Haskins used her own photograph substituted in place of the photograph of the victim on the passport application. Once in possession of the fraudulently obtained passport, Haskins began to use it—according to the date stamps in the passport, Haskins used the fraudulently obtained passport to travel 37 times between March 2017 and April 2020.  Haskins used the passport while living abroad for three years.

Haskins’s use of the passport came to an end in the spring of 2020.  In March of 2020, as a means of managing travel during the Covid pandemic, the government of India announced that it would end commercial flights from India to the United States.  The end of commercial flights prompted American citizens to seek assistance from the United States Embassy when making plans to return to the United States.  On March 28, 2020, Haskins requested a repatriation flight for her and her son, and on April 4, 2020, she provided information to the United States Consular Officers in New Delhi as part of her effort to be added to the manifest for a flight back to the United States.  Haskins provided to the United States government the victim’s social security number, date of birth, and passport number so she could be added to the repatriation flight. Haskins also used the fraudulently obtained passport to enter the United States on April 5, 2020.

On April 6, 2020, Haskins was charged by Complaint with one count of use of a passport secured by a false statement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1542.  On July 8, 2020, Haskins was charged by information with one count of use of a passport secured by a false statement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1542, and one count of making a false statement to a government agency, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2). Haskins pleaded guilty to both counts.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Donato ordered Haskins to serve thirty-six months of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $7,932.89.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Oki is prosecuting the case with assistance from Soana Katoa and Daniel Fuentes. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DSS.