ILLEGAL ALIEN PLEADS GUILTY TO ATTEMPTING TO SMUGGLE A FIREARM FROM THE UNITED STATES AND REENTRY OF A REMOVED ALIEN
MILTON EDILBERTO ESCOTO-GALINDO, age 29, a citizen of Honduras, pled guilty in federal court yesterday before U. S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to a two-count indictment charging him with smuggling goods from the United States to Honduras, and illegal re-entry by an alien previously removed, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to the factual basis, in March 2011, ESCOTO fraudulently and knowingly concealed and facilitated the transportation of a rifle by hiding it in a television, with the intent to export that firearm from the United States to Honduras, contrary to law. Additionally, on April 19, 2011, ESCOTO, an alien who had previously been removed from the United States, was found in the United States, within the Eastern District of Louisiana, without having obtained consent from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
For the smuggling goods from the United States count, ESCOTO faces a maximum statutory penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. As to the illegal re-entry count, ESCOTO faces a maximum statutory penalty of two (2) years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and one (1) year of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 6, 2011.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U. S. Attorney Robert Weir.
)
