Massachusetts firefighter accused of impersonating deceased teen to get job

MELROSE – A Melrose firefighter has been arrested and charged with impersonating a deceased teenager.

In court documents released this week, a federal agent said the man used teenager Henry Huang's name and Social Security number when he applied to become a paramedic and when he joined the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. The government calls this man “John Doe” because they are not sure of his real name. Huang was born in 1989 and died in 2002.

When applying to become a paramedic, he allegedly used a driver's license bearing Huang's name and date of birth. He graduated from the academy in January 2024 and was hired that same month by the Melrose Fire Department.

Accused of fraud during passport application

He is also accused of using Huang's name to apply for a passport in 2023. Doe did not receive a passport and the Boston Passport Agency contacted the State Department after its fraud prevention officer found a death certificate for Huang. The biographical information on the death certificate matched the passport application.

The federal agent said Doe was involved in an RMV fraud hearing in 2018, where he was accused of using two driver's licenses, one in the name of Huang and that of Truong Nguyen, born in 1975. During the hearing, Doe testified that Nguyen was his cousin and that his license under the name Huang had been suspended for six months.

Criminal history under another name

Doe has a criminal history. He was convicted of second-degree burglary in October 1991. He was deported to Vietnam in 1995 but never went there. He was also arrested in 2010 under the name Truong Nguyen for allegedly stealing more than $46,000 from the Norwell Firefighters Union while working as a firefighter for that department.

Melrose Mayor Jen Grigoraitis said Doe was placed on leave.