Former Deputy U.S. Marshal Pleaded Guilty to Use of False Documents

On February 18, 2022, a former Deputy U.S. Marshal previously assigned to the Western District of Louisiana, USMS office, in Alexandria, Louisiana, who was also a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve (Marine Corps), pleaded guilty to one count of using a false document.  David Rodgers pleaded guilty in the Western District of Louisiana.  According to the factual statement in support of the guilty plea, on or about May 22, 2019, Rodgers signed a personal passport application and mailed the application to the United States Department of State (DOS) to renew his expired passport.  On or about June 6, 2019, the DOS mailed a denial letter to Rodgers, citing Rodgers being in arrears of child support in the state of Georgia as the reason for the denial.  To have the passport renewed, Rodgers needed to have the hold on his passport removed by the Georgia Department of Human Services (GDHS).  On or about July 22, 2019, a representative with the GDHS emailed Rodgers requesting that his employer provide written documentation that his passport was needed for his job.  In response to this email, on or about July 22, 2019, Rodgers created and prepared a false document purporting to be from another Marine Corps officer stating that Rodgers required a passport as part of his employment with the Marine Corp.  Although the letter purports to be signed by that Marine Corps officer, that individual did not, in fact, sign the letter.  On or about July 22, 2019, Rodgers submitted the false document to the GDHS, and the hold on Rodgers’ passport was subsequently lifted as a result.  The investigation is being conducted by the OIG’s Houston Field Office, with forensic assistance provided by the OIG’s Cyber Investigation Office.