A Nigerian national, Atuchukwu Onyeanusi, has been sentenced in the United States after a federal court found he used stolen identity information and fraudulent documents to secure employment as a cybersecurity analyst.
Onyeanusi was sentenced on May 20, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler, who ordered time served, equivalent to just under six months in federal custody, followed by one year of supervised release.
He was also directed to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the sentence in an official statement released on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.
Court records show that Onyeanusi, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2025 on charges including fraud and misuse of visas and identification documents, use of false or fraudulent documents, and aggravated identity theft. He pleaded guilty on February 27, 2026.
Prosecutors said the case began on November 10, 2025, after law enforcement officers in Oklahoma stopped Onyeanusi for speeding while he was driving.
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During the stop, officers reportedly discovered a Texas commercial driver’s licence bearing his photograph but issued in another person’s name.
Investigators also recovered an employee identification card from the Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board in Rapid City, South Dakota, listing him under a false identity and describing him as a “Cyber Threat Analyst.”
Further investigation showed that Onyeanusi used the fraudulent driver’s licence and a fake Social Security card to obtain employment with the organisation.
He was also found to have falsely claimed U.S. citizenship during federal employment eligibility verification processes.
Authorities said the prosecution formed part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative targeting immigration-related crimes, identity fraud, and transnational criminal activity.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Craig County Sheriff’s Office in Vinita, Oklahoma, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the matter on behalf of the United States government.