A Middletown man who was denied entrance to Canada earlier this week faces federal fraud charges related to identity theft, U. S. Customs and Border Protection announced Friday.

George W. Ponzoni, 26, who was arrested Tuesday at the Peace Bridge, told officials he was going to North York, Ont., to visit his girlfriend, whom he met on the Internet.

Ponzoni was refused entry into Canada when he was found with several documents that did not belong to him, authorities said. U. S. customs agents referred Ponzoni to a secondary enforcement exam in Buffalo.

A review of the documents revealed 18 debit cards, a New York State driver’s license and a Social Security card —none in Ponzoni’s name, said Customs officials, who said they also found a paper with others’ names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers.

Ponzoni, arrested by agents from U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will be prosecuted by the U. S. attorney’s office.