Not a lawyer either, but in Canada the core issue would be intent to decieve or mislead, as with fraud in general. It's not illegal to use a fake name or alias, nor print your own IDs (as long as you're not forging government IDs). But doing either to manipulate through deception, or mislead investigators, is a crime - fraud or public mischief. I believe it's broadly similar in the USA? Now, he may have lacked the intent to actually make it a crime, but I wouldn't want to have to argue that in front of a judge.