ALIEN SENTENCED FOR BEING A STOWAWAY ON A VESSEL
MOISES VALENCIA-OJEDA, age 38, a resident of Colombia, was sentenced yesterday in federal court by U. S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to approximately four months imprisonment, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Zainey ordered that VALENCIA be placed on three (3) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment, during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release.
According to court documents, on April 29, 2010, VALENCIA pled guilty to one count of an indictment admitting that with the intent of obtaining transportation, he secreted himself aboard the M/V Ciclope in Venezuela, without the proper consent. He remained aboard the vessel after it left Venezuela, until it entered Orleans Parish, Louisiana.
The case was investigated by U. S. Customs and Border Protection with the assistance of the U. S. Coast Guard and New Orleans Harbor Police. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert Weir.
