Deported Alien Charged With Illegally Re‑Entering U.S.
ERIE, Pa. ‑ A resident of Guanajuato, Mexico, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on a charge of violating federal immigration laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The one‑count indictment named Obeth Alejandro Maldonado‑Lopez, 28, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment presented to the court, on or about Aug. 4, 2010, Maldonado-Lopez was found to be unlawfully present within the United States. Maldonado‑Lopez was previously ordered deported and removed from the United States on April 27, 2006. The defendant subsequently reentered the United States, and was found to be present in this country without the permission of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of two years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christine A. Sanner is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and the Mentor, Ohio Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
