Laura Lopez-correon Sentenced in U.S. District Court
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on March 31 2010, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, LAURA LOPEZ-CORREON, a 20-year-old citizen of Mexico, appeared for sentencing. LOPEZ-CORREON was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 4 months, with credit for time served
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: 1 year
LOPEZ-CORREON was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to illegal re-entry after deportation.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On December 2, 2009, LOPEZ-CORREON was encountered at the Greyhound Bus Station in Billings by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent. The agent observed LOPEZ-CORREON standing in the bus station. He asked her in English if she knew when the next bus would arrive. LOPEZ-CORREON did not speak any English. He then asked her where she was from in Spanish and LOPEZ-CORREON stated she was from Mexico. He identified himself as an Immigration Officer and asked LOPEZ-CORREON as to her citizenship. LOPEZ-CORREON stated she was from Mexico. He asked if she had documentation to be or remain in the United States. LOPEZ-CORREON responded "no." It was determined through record checks and a fingerprint comparison that LOPEZ-CORREON had been previously removed from the United States on July 14, 2009, at Calexico, California. Further review of immigration records did not reveal any evidence that LOPEZ-CORREON had received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reenter the United States after having been removed.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that LOPEZ-CORREON will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, LOPEZ-CORREON does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
