Dead step-brother used to gain residency

Shawn Pitts obtained a new passport in the name of his step- brother, who died in 1999. Photo / Mark Mitchell

An American man is facing jail after he used a passport in his dead step-brother's name to gain permanent residency in New Zealand.

Shawn Pitts, 51, was facing prosecution for benefit fraud in Oregon when he obtained the passport and moved to Christchurch.

He pleaded guilty at a Christchurch District Court sitting last week to seven Immigration Act breaches, Court News reported.

A warrant was issued for Pitts' arrest before he travelled to New Zealand in 2004. He obtained a new passport in the name of his step- brother, who died in 1999.

Using the passport Pitts obtained two work permits in New Zealand. In March 2006 he applied for residency on the basis of partnership with a New Zealand citizen.

But when he was interviewed by Immigration New Zealand staff he admitted he had concealed his real identity to avoid the charges he was facing in Oregon.

Immigration New Zealand head Nigel Bickle said the passport Pitts had when he entered the country was genuinely issued, but fraudulently obtained.

"The passport was a genuine document issued as the result of a fraudulent application made in Mr Pitts' home country," Mr Bickle said.

"As such the passport was not recorded as lost, stolen or fraudulent on US passport records. There was no information available at that time that Mr Pitts had possession of a fraudulently issued passport."

Mr Bickle said identity fraud was the most common type of immigration prosecution.

"This case serves to reinforce that INZ will not tolerate offending designed to subvert New Zealand's border security, and we will actively pursue those who seek to do so regardless of the length of time since the offending," he said

In court last week Judge Stephen Erber indicated Pitts would face a term of imprisonment.

Passport fraud offences carry penalties of up to 10 years in jail and or a fine of $250,000. Pitts was remanded on bail and will be sentenced in September.

Mr Bickle said INZ would consider deporting Pitts once the judicial process had been completed.