An illegal immigrant living in Florida will be doing time in federal prison after he was convicted of identity theft for 17 years.

Jose Avianeda-Espinoza, a 44-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, was sentenced to three years in prison for his use of a stolen identity in order to avoid deportation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced in a news release.

Espinoza used a U.S. citizen’s stolen identity so he could also obtain a number of government identifications, according to ICE.

Back in December 2015, the illegal immigrant used a false name and gave it to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation agents. Afterwards, Espinoza admitted to ERO agents that he was in fact in the country illegally from Mexico.

In January 2016, Espinoza told a federal immigration judge that he was a U.S. citizen, using another stolen identity with a Puerto Rican birth certificate.

Espinoza used a stolen identity again in March 2016, telling an immigration judge that he was a U.S. citizen.

“Identity theft can have great consequences to our national security,” Marc J. Moore, ERO Miami field office director said in a news release. “This case highlights this is a serious crime and it will remain a priority for ICE.”

Espinoza was similarly convicted for providing a stolen identity to a U.S. government agency and for repeatedly making false claims of citizenship.

John Binder is a contributor for Breitbart Texas. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.