by Sophie PendrillSun, November 16, 2025 at 9:00 AMLuis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez, 64, in the Cuban Air Defense Force. (DOJ)MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) — A former Cuban military pilot faces federal charges for allegedly deceiving U.S. immigration officials about his ties to the Castro regime.The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday the unsealing of an indictment charging Luis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez, 64, from Cuba, with fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, and making a false statement to a federal agency. “This man’s past as a longtime military pilot for the evil Castro regime — which has wrought untold suffering on the Cuban people — should have been front and center in his immigration file,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute anyone who lies about their past to take advantage of America’s immigration system.”According to the indictment, on or about April 20, 2025, Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez presented or caused to be presented a Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status containing false statements to the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. See also: Florida reimburses over $2 million to local sheriffs for immigration enforcement effortsSpecifically, the false statements pertained to his prior membership in the Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force from 1980 to 2009, per reports. In the Form I-485 Application, the indictment alleges that Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez falsely stated he had never received any weapons or military training, never participated in any group of any kind that used weapons or threatened to use weapons, and never served in a military or police unit, when in reality, he received such training and served in the Cuban military as part of the Air Defense Force.The DOJ said that if convicted on all counts, Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day's top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can't miss video.