LEXINGTON, Ky. — Federal charges have been filed against three men accused of using counterfeit immigration documents to gain employment on a secured military installation in Frankfort, raising questions about the scope and focus of immigration enforcement in Kentucky.
According to federal court filings unsealed this week, Gilbert Cazun-Arana, Yunior Omar Ventura, and Mynor Silbestre-Ruano were charged with possession of fraudulent permanent resident and Social Security cards. All three men had been working for a subcontractor at the Boone National Guard Center, a state military base in Franklin County. The charges stem not from a criminal investigation, but from discrepancies found during routine contractor background checks.
Court documents show that base security personnel flagged suspicious documents submitted by a worker identified as “Juan Bartolon.” When asked to verify his identification, the man left the premises and did not return. This incident led investigators to others working under the same contractor, “Dream Teams Walls and More LLC.”
A Homeland Security Task Force Officer, Kevin Duane, was assigned to the case. His affidavit details how base security coordinated with federal immigration officers to vet submitted IDs. Using surveillance and traffic stops, law enforcement detained the three men on March 18 in Fayette County after confirming they had used counterfeit documents to enter the base.
During questioning, each admitted to purchasing the fake IDs to secure employment. Ventura, a Honduran national, initially denied having a green card until officers found it hidden in his phone case. Silbestre-Ruano and Cazun-Arana, both Guatemalan nationals, also confessed to knowing their documents were not government-issued.
The men were not accused of violent crimes, theft, or gang activity. Rather, the charges fall under Title 18 of the U.S. Code § 1546, which covers fraudulent immigration documentation. If convicted, they could face fines and possible deportation.
The case underscores a broader trend in immigration enforcement that critics argue targets undocumented workers engaged in honest labor. The use of contractor vetting forms—meant to protect national security sites—has expanded into a tool for identifying and detaining individuals for immigration-related offenses, regardless of criminal history.
“This wasn’t a drug bust or a smuggling ring. These were guys hanging drywall,” said a Lexington-based immigration advocate who asked not to be named due to fear of retaliation. “They got caught up in a system that doesn’t distinguish between dangerous actors and people trying to make a living.”
The arrests come amid renewed debate over federal immigration policy and the role of local contractors in verifying work eligibility. While employers are legally required to ensure that workers have valid documentation, the case highlights the precarious position of undocumented laborers in Kentucky’s construction and trade industries.
It remains unclear whether the contractor, Ronald Miniard, will face any penalties. According to affidavits, he cooperated fully with law enforcement and provided photos of IDs submitted by his workers.
All three men remain in federal custody pending further proceedings in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
