**SEO Title:** Venezuelan Man Poses as Teen to Compete in Ohio High School Sports
**Meta Description:** A 24-year-old Venezuelan man allegedly posed as a 16-year-old student to join an Ohio high school swim team, leading to charges of forgery.
**URL Slug:** venezuelan-man-poses-as-teen-ohio-high-school
**Headline:** Venezuelan Man Arrested for Posing as High School Student in Ohio
A 24-year-old man from Venezuela, Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, has been accused of posing as a high school student in Ohio to compete on the boys’ swimming team. Enrolled at Perrysburg High School under the guise of being a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor, he participated in various athletic events, including the Ohio High School Athletics Association (OHSAA) Fremont B Sectional in February.
Perrysburg Schools confirmed that Labrador Sierra was a member of both the swim team and the junior varsity soccer team. Competing under the name “Tony Labrador,” he recorded times of 29.10 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle and 1:07.35 in the 100-yard freestyle, finishing 11th in both events.
The school stated that he enrolled on January 11, 2024, following federal and state guidelines for students experiencing homelessness or lacking legal guardians. However, a preliminary investigation led to the establishment of a fraud case, which was subsequently handed over to detectives for further inquiry.
Labrador Sierra has been charged with forgery and is currently being held on a $50,000 bond. The investigation began when Perrysburg Local Schools alerted authorities about potential fraudulent activity. Collaborating with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, detectives discovered that he was actually a 24-year-old from Venezuela who had used false documents to enroll in the school.
Further investigation revealed that between January 11, 2024, and May 14, 2025, Labrador Sierra obtained various forms of documentation, including a state-issued driver’s license and a social security number, complicating the situation. He also received Temporary Protective Status (TPS) from U.S. Immigration and completed a visa application with assistance from Advocating Opportunities, a legal aid organization. The Wood County Juvenile Court granted guardianship of him to a local family.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Labrador Sierra is a visa overstay who first arrived in the U.S. in 2019 and has received TPS. He denied the allegations on May 15, and was arrested during a traffic stop this week. The school expressed concern over the situation, noting the community’s good faith efforts to support someone they believed to be vulnerable.
**FAQ Section:**
**Q: What charges has Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra faced?**
A: He has been charged with forgery for allegedly using false documents to enroll as a high school student in Ohio.
