U.K. Man Pleads Guilty To Immigration Fraud
Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 6:30 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
BOSTON, MA.- Last Wednesday, a 58-year-old United Kingdom national residing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, will be facing up to ten years in federal prison after pleading guilty to lying on a federal immigration form in 2021.
On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, Duncan Hollands, also known as “Duncan Herd,” 58, a citizen of the United Kingdom, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to one count of False Swearing on a Federal Immigration Form.
Following entering his guilty plea on Wednesday, Judge Casper scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2025, at which time Hollands faces up to 10 years in federal prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Hollands was initially charged in August 2024 by a federal criminal complaint.
At sentencing, a U.S. District Court Judge will determine the term of imprisonment based on the seriousness of the offense and Hollands’ prior criminal history. Hollands will most likely face deportation proceedings upon his release from federal custody.
According To The U.S. Attorney’s Office
According to U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and charging information filed in the criminal complaint, in May 2021, Holland applied for a permanent resident alien green card and attended an interview for that application. The application form requires applicants to answer specific background questions, such as prior names or aliases and any prior criminal history. These questions allow federal immigration authorities to determine if an individual is eligible for the status sought.
On his application and during the subsequent interview in February 2022, Holland falsely reported that he had never used another name and denied having any history with the criminal justice system. Federal authorities uncovered that Holland did, in fact, have a prior name, Duncan Herd, under which he was convicted and sentenced to over three years in prison for illegally obtaining property by criminal deception, along with other charges.
Holland also had criminal interactions with foreign criminal justice systems in the United Kingdom and France.
