NW Ohio Times

State Representative Haraz N. Ghanbari has issued a statement following the arrest of Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, who is facing serious felony forgery charges. The 24-year-old is currently held at Wood County Jail.

Ghanbari stated that Labrador Sierra had been enrolled at Perrysburg High School since January 2024, allegedly misrepresenting himself as a 16-year-old minor. Reports from Perrysburg Schools indicate that he obtained an Ohio driver's license and Social Security number, was granted federal Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by U.S. immigration authorities, submitted a completed visa application with help from Advocating Opportunities, and was assigned legal guardianship through the Wood County Juvenile Court.

"If these allegations are verified, they reveal a deeply troubling breakdown in safeguards—locally, statewide, and federally," said Ghanbari. He emphasized the need for immediate scrutiny of how an adult could integrate into a public high school under false pretenses with access to official documentation and legal support.

Ghanbari expressed gratitude to those who identified and reported the situation to school officials and praised law enforcement's swift actions to protect students. He urged the Perrysburg School District to fully cooperate with authorities and review their internal protocols to maintain school safety.

Furthermore, Ghanbari called on federal immigration and law enforcement agencies for a full investigation into how Labrador Sierra entered the United States and accessed public education under false pretenses. He stressed the importance of enhanced collaboration between local and federal agencies to prevent similar incidents in the future.