ILLEGAL ALIEN CONVICTED BY FEDERAL JURY
FRENANDO VALDEZ-LOPEZ, age 35, a resident of Mexico, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury following a two day trial on one count of illegal re-entry by an alien previously removed and one count of fraud and misuse of an permanent resident card, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to the evidence introduced at trial, on September 24, 2009, VALDEZ-LOPEZ was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent after having previously been removed and deported from the United States to Mexico, without having obtained the proper consent. The jury also found that VALDEZ-LOPEZ knowingly possessed a counterfeit alien registration receipt card, also known as a permanent resident card or “green card” at the time he was encountered by the ICE agent.
VALDEZ-LOPEZ, who was convicted of an aggravated felony prior to his previous removal, faces a maximum penalty of thirty (30) years imprisonment, $500,000.00 and six (6) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Sentencing is set for July 22, 2010 at 2:00 P.M.
The case was investigated by U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with the assistance of U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U. S. Attorney Robert Weir and Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian Klebba.
