NITRO, WV (WVNS) — A Mexican national who lived illegally in West Virginia pleaded guilty and was sentenced for a federal fraud crime.According to a press release from the United States Department of Justice, on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 42-year-old Wilmar Aristo Pablos-Miguel, also known as "Ariosto Pablos-Miguel," a Mexican national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and was sentenced to time served. Mexican national living illegally in West Virginia sentenced for federal fraud crime The press release stated that Pablos-Miguel will have "an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for his transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings."According to the press release, court documents stated that members of law enforcement carried out a search warrant on January 16, 2026 at the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Nitro where they found Pablos-Miguel working.The press release stated that it was discovered that Pablos-Miguel used a counterfeit Immigration Form I-551, also called a Permanent Resident Card or Green Card, to get employed at the restaurant from around June 28, 2025 to approximately January 16, 2026.According to the press release, Pablos-Miguel is one out of six illegal aliens who were indicted on charges that alleged they did not have legal status when working at the restaurant after the search warrant that was carried out on January 16, 2026. Fugitive who reportedly escaped in Raleigh County arrested by the Summers County Sheriff's Office The press release stated that 65-year-old restaurant owner Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., and 43-year-old manager Miguel Angel Aguirre, both of Nitro, were indicted on charges that alleged each of them aided and abetted alien harboring, as well as aiding and abetting each other, and aided and abetted fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.According to the press release, indictments are still pending against Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr. and Miguel Angel Aguirre, as well as the other defendants. Indictments are only allegations, and all defendants are thought to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.The press release stated that the case was the result of Operation Country Roads, which took place in January 2026, was held by ICE with state and local law enforcement, and resulted in more than 650 arrests across the Mountain State.The announcement was made by United States Attorney Moore Capito, who thanked the the Nitro Police Department, St. Albans Police Department, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) for their work on the investigation.Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.