Alleged UGA killer’s brother has first appearance set in federal court for fraudulent green card

By Joe Johnson

The brother of the man charged with the murder last week of a student on the University of Georgia campus will be making his initial appearance in federal court to face a charge that he possessed a fake green card.

Diego Ibarra, a 29-year-old Venezuelan national, is charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of a fraudulent document.

If convicted, he could be sentenced to a maximum of ten years in prison.

Authorities say that he was found with the fake green card when questioned by police in connection with the death of Laken Hope Riley.

He lived at a South Mille Avenue apartment complex with his brother, Jose Antonio Ibarra, who was arrested and charged with murder and other crimes for Riley's death.

According to the criminal complaint and sworn affidavit, since entering the country, Diego Ibarra has been arrested three times by Athens-Clarke County police: on Sept. 25 for DUI and driving without a license; on Oct. 27 for theft by shoplifting; and on Dec. 8 for failure to appear in court.

He is scheduled for his first appearance at 2:30 p.m. next Monday before Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle at U.S. District Court in Macon.