In a wild case straight out of a Hollywood movie — or maybe a high school drama gone sideways — a 24-year-old man from Venezuela managed to enroll at Perrysburg High School in Ohio by pretending to be a 16-year-old student. That’s right. This grown man sat through algebra, joined the swim team, and played soccer with teens — all while allegedly hiding his real age, identity, and a baby back home.
The man, identified as Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, now finds himself behind bars at the Wood County Jail, facing felony forgery charges after being nabbed during a traffic stop. Cops say he fooled not just the school, but multiple federal and state agencies.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
Back in November 2023, someone claiming to be “Anthony Labrador” told Perrysburg school officials he’d been trafficked from Venezuela and was now living with a local family. He said he was just 16, born in December 2007. Officials say he submitted a Venezuelan birth certificate in January 2024 and was officially enrolled. Game on.
He even moved in with a local family in March 2024. The good-hearted hosts had a history of fostering and housing exchange students — and believed his story. By May, they had full legal guardianship.
But in a tabloid-worthy twist, it all came crashing down May 14, 2025, when a woman claiming to be the mother of his child contacted the guardian family — and spilled the tea. She provided proof that “Anthony” was actually a 24-year-old man, complete with an Ohio driver’s license, Social Security card, and a birthday of March 27, 2001.
THE PAPER TRAIL THAT FOOLED EVERYONE
Turns out, Labrador Sierra had collected quite the impressive (and suspicious) list of official documents:
- An Ohio Driver’s License
- A Social Security number
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from U.S. immigration authorities
- A visa application filed with help from Advocating Opportunities, a nonprofit that provides legal aid to immigrants
According to the school, his enrollment technically complied with laws meant to protect vulnerable students — such as federal McKinney-Vento Act protections that allow unaccompanied minors or homeless children to enroll without immediate proof of guardianship.
WAIT — THE LAW HELPED HIM?
Yes. Under current laws:
- Federal law (McKinney-Vento Act) requires schools to immediately enroll unaccompanied minors or homeless youth, even if they lack typical documents like birth certificates.
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS) gives certain immigrants from designated countries — like Venezuela — permission to stay and work in the U.S. temporarily, especially if their home country is unsafe.
- Nonprofits like Advocating Opportunities help TPS holders and other vulnerable individuals file for legal residency and benefits.
In short, a clever combo of forged documents, sympathetic laws, and a helpful legal aid group allowed this man to slip through the cracks — at least for a while.
HE SAID HE WAS 16. HE WAS 24. AND A DAD.
That’s what police say blew this case wide open. The child’s mother not only revealed the truth but backed it up with documents. The school then launched an internal investigation and called in the feds. Cops say they found social media accounts linking Labrador Sierra to adult relatives in Venezuela.
By Monday, May 19, Perrysburg Township Police tracked him down and arrested him during a traffic stop near I-75.
NOW WHAT?
Labrador Sierra is facing felony forgery charges, and the investigation is far from over. Local and federal agencies, including Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are digging deeper. He may also face immigration consequences, especially with his TPS expired since 2023.
Meanwhile, Perrysburg parents are asking how this happened — and wondering how many other “students” might not be who they say they are.
One thing’s for sure: this was one wild school year — just not the kind the yearbook was expecting.
