Melrose firefighter charged with stealing dead teenager's identity to get job

MELROSE - A Melrose firefighter has been arrested and charged with stealing the identity of a dead teenager.

In court documents released this week, a federal agent said the man used the name and Social Security number of teenager Henry Huang when he applied to be a paramedic and when he joined the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. The government is referring to the man as "John Doe" because they aren't sure of his real name. Huang was born in 1989 and died in 2002.

On applying to be a paramedic, he allegedly used a driver's license with Huang's name and birthdate. He graduated from the academy in January 2024 and was hired the same month by the Melrose Fire Department.

Accused of fraud when applying for passport

He's also accused of using Huang's name to apply for a passport in 2023. Doe was not issued a passport and the Boston Passport Agency reached out to the State Department after their fraud prevention manager found a death record for Huang. Biographical information on the death certificate matched the passport application.

The federal agent said Doe was involved in a fraud hearing with the RMV back in 2018, where he was accused of using two driver's licenses, one under Huang's name and under the name of Truong Nguyen, who was born in 1975. During the hearing, Doe said Nguyen was his cousin and his license under Huang's name was 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. 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 has been placed on leave.