Man sentenced for using fraudulent Texas CDL to gain employment

A man caught using a Texas commercial driver’s license (CDL) under someone else’s name was sentenced on federal fraud charges.

On May 20, 2026, Atuchukwu Markrufus Onyeanusi, 32, was sentenced to time served of just under six months in custody, to be followed by one year of supervised release.

He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.

In December 2025, Onyeanusi was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents; False, Fictitious, Fraudulent Document or Writing; and Aggravated Identity Theft.

Onyeanusi pleaded guilty to the charges on February 27, 2026.

Officials said that Onyeanusi is a Nigerian national who is lawfully present in the U.S.

On November 10, 2025, Onyeanusi was stopped by Oklahoma law enforcement for speeding.

Onyeanusi was in possession of a Texas CDL with his own photo but someone else’s name, officials said. He also possessed employment identification documents with the same false name for the Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board located in Rapid City, South Dakota.

The employment documents identified Onyeanusi ‘s role as a “Cyber Threat Analyst.”

“Onyeanusi used the false Texas CDL, along with a false Social Security card with the same false name, to gain employment at Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board. Onyeanusi also falsely asserted on an employment immigration form that he was a United States citizen,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Craig County Sheriff’s Office in Vinita, Oklahoma.