HAMILTON — A Chinese man in the country illegally faces deportation and criminal charges after attempting to use a fake Social Security number to obtain a driver's license, according to the Butler County Sheriff's Office.

Goa Ze Zheng, 35, of West Chester Twp., was arrested Tuesday and is housed at the Butler County Jail. He faces charges of tampering with records, a third-degree felony that could carry up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Zheng said he came from eastern China eight years ago, obtained a fraudulent Social Security card in New York and moved to Illinois, where he obtained a driver's license, deputies said.

Zheng moved to Butler County and in October sought an Ohio driver's license.

Deputies said they received a tip this week that Zheng was from China, but was portraying himself as North Korean. Investigators contacted the Social Security Administration and found that the Social Security number Zheng used belonged to another individual, deputies said.

Deputies said Zheng crashed his vehicle into a telephone pole on Jan. 17 in West Chester Twp. for which he also is facing charges of driving under the influence and failure to control his vehicle, according to reports.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have been contacted, deputies said.

The same day Zheng was arrested, Sheriff Richard K. Jones was in Columbus testifying in support of a bill that would give local law enforcement the authority to help enforce federal immigration laws.

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