Venezuelan Man Faces Charges for Allegedly Posing as Teen to Compete in Ohio High School Sports

Venezuelan Man Faces Charges for Allegedly Posing as Teen to Compete in Ohio High School Sports

A 24-year-old man from Venezuela, identified as Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, allegedly posed as a teenager to participate in high school swimming events in Ohio. He reportedly competed on the boys’ swimming team at Perrysburg High School.

Perrysburg Schools confirmed that Labrador Sierra was enrolled under the false identity and competed in events held by the Ohio High School Athletics Association in February. Specifically, he swam in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events at the Fremont B Sectional.

During the competition, a stat sheet listed him as “Tony Labrador” and noted that he was a junior. In the 50-yard freestyle, he recorded a time of 29.10 seconds, placing 11th overall, while finishing with the same position in the 100-yard freestyle, clocking in at 1:07.35.

Enrollment Under False Pretenses

The school district stated that Labrador Sierra enrolled at Perrysburg High School as a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor on January 11, 2024. This enrollment followed federal and state requirements for registering students without a legal guardian or those experiencing homelessness.

Following a preliminary investigation into the situation, authorities established a fraud case, which has since been referred to detectives for further inquiry. They aim to uncover the full extent of the alleged deception.

Criminal Charges and Investigation

Labrador Sierra faces charges of forgery and is currently held on a $50,000 bond. The police department received a tip about possible fraudulent activity from Perrysburg Local Schools on a Monday, prompting a swift investigation. Detectives coordinated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, leading them to discover that he was actually a 24-year-old from Venezuela.

Authorities uncovered that Labrador Sierra utilized fraudulent documents to enroll in Perrysburg Schools while posing as a teenager. Between January 2024 and May 2025, he acquired various official documents, complicating the investigation. Notably, he obtained a state-issued driver’s license, a social security number, and Temporary Protected Status through U.S. Immigration before his identity was revealed.

Legal Proceedings

Furthermore, the school district disclosed that Labrador Sierra applied for a visa with assistance from Advocating Opportunities, an organization that provides legal support. A Perrysburg family was granted guardianship of him by the Wood County Juvenile Court during this time.

Department of Homeland Security Involvement

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that they located Labrador Sierra’s information under a different spelling of his name. They labeled him as a visa overstay, having arrived in the United States in 2019. The agency also verified that he had obtained Temporary Protected Status.

Labrador Sierra denied the allegations against him as of May 15. However, he was arrested this week during a routine traffic stop, as the investigation gathered more momentum.

Community Reaction

The Perrysburg School district expressed profound disappointment regarding the situation. They emphasized the heartbreak felt by staff and local families who offered genuine support to someone they believed to be a vulnerable teen. The district noted, “What’s most heartbreaking is how many responded in good faith.” Their compassion reflects the community’s commitment to helping those in need, they added, while also highlighting the violation of trust that occurred.

Labrador Sierra is currently awaiting a court hearing scheduled for May 29, where legal proceedings will continue to unfold. The impact of this case reaches far beyond the pool, raising questions about security and verification processes in schools.

Looking Ahead

As the investigation continues, many community members are left wondering about the procedures in place to protect schools from similar situations in the future. The authenticity of student identities remains a crucial issue in educational institutions, and this incident highlights the importance of stringent checks on enrollment processes.

With the impending court hearing, all eyes will be on how this case resolves and what measures might be implemented to prevent future occurrences of identity fraud within school systems. Labrador Sierra’s story serves as a reminder of both vulnerability and the potential consequences of misrepresentation in educational settings, stimulating discussions on policy reforms.