Cruise guest sentenced to 4 years in prison for using stolen identity

A cruise passenger was sentenced to more than four years in prison after using a stolen identity to board a ship.

Enrico Ronquillo, a 38-year-old Philippine national and lawful permanent resident of the U.S., posed as an American citizen to board an Alaska-bound ship in Seattle in May 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska said in a June 18 news release. He used their name, address and date of birth.

Authorities previously identified the ship as Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess. A Customs and Border Protection officer later found seemingly fraudulent birth certificates and a driver’s license, including a known identity theft victim’s information, in his backpack. 

“Ronquillo was also carrying a large amount of cash in his pockets and in his backpack,” the release said. “It was later determined that he fraudulently used yet another individual’s credit card information to obtain money while at the ship’s casino.”

Ronquillo pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of false impersonation of a U.S. citizen. In addition to prison time, he was ordered to serve a year on supervised release, pay restitution of more than $25,000 and he “will be subject to deportation proceedings,” the release said.

An attorney for Ronquillo previously declined to comment on the charges and did not immediately respond to an additional inquiry about the sentencing. Princess did not immediately respond to a separate request for comment.

“Mr. Ronquillo knowingly used stolen identities and personal information of innocent U.S. citizens to gain passage on a cruise ship and enrich himself at its casino,” said Michael J. Heyman, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska. “My office remains committed to protecting U.S. citizens from those who exploit them for personal gain. Identity theft and impersonating a U.S. citizen carry real consequences, including time behind bars.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].