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BUCKHANNON – A man suspected of being in the country illegally is facing felony charges after allegedly giving police a fake passport.
Donis Tay Cleider Josue, 20, is charged with one count of forging or uttering other writing, one count of forgery of certificate and one count of forgery of registration, all felonies. He is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $30,000 cash-only bond.
According to the criminal complaint, filed by Patrolman C. Spotloe with the Buckhannon City Police Department, on Oct. 10, Spotloe was on patrol when he observed a vehicle traveling on Route 20 north. When Spotloe got behind the vehicle, he noticed the passenger-side rear tail light was “not fully illuminated.”
When Spotloe initiated a traffic stop with the vehicle, the driver allegedly told him that he did not have a license, instead providing a library card from Elizabeth, New Jersey, and a temporary West Virginia Registration, the complaint states. Spotloe writes that he asked the driver multiple times for his insurance, but the driver reportedly did not speak English very well. Spotloe then asked for the passport that was in the driver’s lap.
Spotloe provided the library card number to the Upshur County Communication Center, but they informed him they were unable to check that number, the complaint states. When Spotloe asked if they could check the passport, they said they were also unable to do that. Spotloe provide the Upshur County Communication Center with the driver’s name, identified as Cleider Josue, for them to run his name and date of birth, as well to check if Cleider Josue was in a database for illegal immigrants.
While waiting for the Upshur County Communication Center to get him that information, Spotloe further investigated the passport Cleider Josue gave him, the complaint states. Spotloe writes that the passport did not reportedly match authentic Guatemala passports as the font was larger and it had “little to no” spacing. The passport also reportedly did not have the security details an authentic Guatemala passport would have. Further in the investigation, Spotloe would reportedly discover Cleider Josue’s date of birth was incorrect on the passport as well.
When Spotloe asked Cleider Josue when he was issued the passport, Cleider Josue allegedly ignored Spotloe, took the passport back and provided his insurance, the complaint states. Cleider Josue reportedly appeared nervous during this interaction, “side eyeing” Spotloe and not giving the passport back to him. Cleider Josue allegedly said the passport was issued to him two years ago.
Upshur County Communication Center then reportedly told Spotloe that Cleider Josue was illegally in the country, was in the process of being removed and was “under recognizance,” the complaint states. Further in the investigation, Spotloe would allegedly learn that the passport was issued to Cleider Josue in May 2024 and that Cleider Josue was in a detention center from June 13, 2024 to July 3, 2024. When Spotloe asked Cleider Josue why he had been in a detention center, Cleider Josue allegedly said he was waiting for his documentation to be able to come into the United States.
Cleider Josue was placed under arrest for obstruction and he was transported to the Buckhannon City Police Department for processing, the complaint states. Patrolman D. Major allegedly found a fake Indiana license plate in the vehicle Cleider Josue was driving. Spotloe read Cleider Josue his Miranda Rights, which Cleider Josue said he understood. Spotloe then explained to Cleider Josue that there was documentation he was in the United States illegally, and Spotloe asked if the passport Cleider Josue provided him was fake. Cleider Josue allegedly confirmed it was a fake passport.
A preliminary hearing for Cleider Josue has been scheduled for Oct. 14 in Upshur County Magistrate Court.