A routine traffic stop in Flower Mound has led to the unraveling of a sophisticated, multi-state identity theft and passport fraud operation that resulted in lengthy federal prison sentences for two New York residents, according to federal officials.
The case, investigated by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, began when Flower Mound police officers pulled over a vehicle and discovered seven counterfeit U.S. passport cards, along with bank cards tied to the same stolen identities.
That discovery prompted local officers to contact federal agents, ultimately launching a years-long investigation that uncovered a nationwide fraud scheme involving stolen personal information and counterfeit identification documents.
Ciera Julieth Blas, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced April 7 to 120 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and misuse of visas and other documents. Her co-defendant, Kelly Josek, 41, of New York City, was sentenced to 90 months in prison in January after pleading guilty to similar charges.
“Ciera Blas’s sentencing follows several years of unceasing investigative work by the DSS Resident Office in Dallas,” said Ryan Pack, special agent in charge of the agency’s Houston Field Office. “This significant penalty demonstrates the seriousness with which we pursue fraud involving counterfeit U.S. passport cards and other travel documents.”
Investigators said the pair used stolen personal identifying information to create fraudulent passport cards and access victims’ financial accounts across the country. Authorities identified more than 80 victims tied directly to the scheme, with losses exceeding $1.3 million. Broader connections to related cases linked Blas to as much as $8 million in fraud affecting roughly 2,500 victims.
After an initial arrest in 2022, Blas fled while on pretrial release and continued operating under false identities. Federal agents later tracked her to the Houston area, where she was arrested in January 2025 with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
A search of the residence uncovered counterfeit checks, fraudulent passport cards, firearms and materials used to manufacture fake identification, officials said. A federal grand jury later returned additional charges, including aggravated identity theft, wire fraud and bank fraud.
The investigation was conducted in coordination with the Flower Mound Police Department, U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
Officials said the case underscores how local law enforcement can play a key role in disrupting large-scale criminal networks.
