A Honolulu notary who pleaded guilty yesterday to falsely certifying information on visa applications faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced early next year by a federal judge.

Henry Hung Nguyen, 39, admitted in court to listing individuals as "joint sponsors" without their permission and falsely notarized their signatures on 10 occasions. Nguyen can be sentenced to two years in prison and fined up to $250,000 for each of the 10 counts.

He will be sentenced Jan. 26, 2009 by U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra.

U.S. Attorney for Hawai'i Ed Kubo credited the two investigative agencies — Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — for their work in the Nguyen case.

"Immigration fraud poses a threat to national security and public safety because it creates a vulnerability that may enable terrorists, criminals and others to illegally enter and remain in the United States," Kubo said.