A 24-year-old Venezuelan man, Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, allegedly posed as a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor to enroll at Perrysburg High School in Ohio, claiming to have temporary protected status and guardianship documents. This deception unfolded over more than a year, during which he participated in school activities, including JV soccer and swimming. His fraudulent enrollment documents included an Ohio driver’s license and Social Security card.
School officials described the situation as “highly unusual and deceptive,” expressing heartbreak that staff and families had been supporting someone they believed was a vulnerable teen. When Labrador’s guardians contacted the school, suspecting he was much older, he maintained his innocence and insisted that his provided birth certificate was accurate.
The school district, which followed federal and state guidelines to enroll students without legal guardians, has since recognized that the documents presented by Labrador were likely falsified. Following an internal investigation and the discovery of social media posts suggesting his true age, the district ordered him to stay away from school grounds while working with local law enforcement.
The Perrysburg Schools emphasized that they had acted in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which mandates educational access for homeless youth. They are reviewing their procedures to ensure compliance with enrollment laws.
Labrador faces felony forgery charges and appeared in court, with no information available regarding legal representation. The case has attracted attention due to its complexity and the involvement of multiple agencies. The district expressed pride in the community’s compassion while acknowledging the violation of trust in this unfortunate situation.
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