Man indicted in Georgia counterfeit Social Security card scheme

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - A 41-year-old undocumented man faces an 18-count federal indictment after allegedly selling counterfeit Social Security cards containing real victims' identities to undercover agents and possessing an illegal firearm, according to federal prosecutors.

What we know:

Between March and May, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Alvarez sold an undercover agent three fake Social Security cards for $750 each, later sending matching birthdates for the stolen identities.

Federal prosecutors said agents arrested Alvarez on Aug. 5 when he arrived to complete a sale for two additional cards. Authorities added that investigators seized four extra cards during the arrest and later found a semi-automatic pistol while searching his home.

The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General confirmed all seized cards were counterfeit, but the numbers belonged to real people, a news release added. 

A grand jury initially indicted Alvarez on Sept. 1 for 18 counts, including seven counts of Social Security fraud, seven counts of production of false identification documents, three counts of transfer of false identification documents, and one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On Wednesday, the grand jury added two additional counts of aggravated identity theft, which carry a mandatory two-year minimum prison sentence.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Alvarez remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after a federal judge granted an emergency motion to detain him as a flight risk. 

What we don't know:

Authorities have not publicly disclosed how many total identity theft victims were impacted by the scheme.

A trial date has not yet been scheduled in federal court.