The older brother of a man charged with murder in the death of Athens nursing student Laken Hope Riley pleaded guilty on Monday to possessing a fraudulent green card.
Diego Ibarra, 28, of Venezuela, has been jailed since his Feb. 23 arrest. It was the day after Riley was found beaten to death in a wooded area near the University of Georgia’s intramural fields after going for a run that morning. Diego Ibarra has not been charged or deemed a suspect in the homicide.
His brother, Jose Ibarra, 26, has been charged with three counts of felony murder and single counts of malice murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, hindering a 911 call, tampering with evidence and spying. He pleaded not guilty in May.
Riley had been running on the university’s nature and jogging trail adjacent to apartments where the Ibarras lived, authorities have said.
A third brother, Argenis Ibarra, 24, has also been in federal custody. All three brothers are accused of entering the United States unlawfully. Only Jose Ibarra is charged in Riley’s death.
Argenis Ibarra, and their former roommate, Rosbeli Flores-Bello, 29, both of Venezuela, are alleged to have had fake green cards, as well as counterfeit social security cards. They have been federally indicted on two counts each of possession of a fraudulent document.
Argenis Ibarra had his initial appearance in Macon on July 11 and was subsequently detained. Flores-Bello’s detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday in San Antonio.
On Monday, Diego Ibarra pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a fraudulent document, specifically, a counterfeit United States Permanent Resident Card. He, along with his younger brother and Flores-Bello, face up to 10 years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine per count.
Diego Ibarra’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 7. There is no parole in the federal system.
Jose Ibarra has pleaded not guilty to murder in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, where he’s been indicted on 10 charges. They include three counts of felony murder and single counts of malice murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, hindering a 911 call, tampering with evidence and spying.
He is due in court on Aug. 2 for a status hearing.
The DA’s office in that case has indicated it intend to seek a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
As of Tuesday, Jose Ibarra does not face charges in federal court related to fraudulent documents.
Riley’s killing became a flashpoint in the heated national debate over immigration policies and enforcement. In March, President Joe Biden mentioned it in his State of the Union speech, and former President Donald Trump met with Riley’s parents ahead of his rally in Rome.
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