Former Armenian official is under threat of 5 years in prison for breaking US legislation

Akop Ovannisyan, former employee of Armenia's consulate in Los Angeles, arrested one year ago in the USA on charges of forging documents, has pled guilty at the trial. The US legislation stipulates up to 5 years of imprisonment for this crime.

Mr Ovannisyan, 54, who lives today in the American city of Glendale, is accused of issuing faked letters to the immigrants, who were subject to deportation, several criminals, including gunmen and rapists, among them. Those letters allowed illegal migrants to stay in the USA and escape deportation.

Under the same case American authorities had initially arrested but then let out on bail four other Armenians, among them - Norair Galumyan, former consul of Armenia in Los Angeles. So far the latter rejects his involvement in forging documents. All the four, unlike Akop Ovannisyan, have not yet faced trial, the local newspaper The Glendale News Press writes.

The verdict on this case is expected early next year.

Grigor Ovannisyan, the present Armenian consul in Los Angeles, told the Associated Press that he was shocked by the incident. According to his story, Armenia officials will render all the required help to local inspectors in investigating the crime.