ALIEN SENTENCED FOR ILLEGAL RE-ENTRY
ZERAFIN LOPEZ-ALLELA, age 44, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today in federal court by U. S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to over four (4) years (57 months) imprisonment, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Africk ordered that LOPEZ-ALLELA be placed on two (2) 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 December 1, 2011, LOPEZ-ALLELA pled guilty to one count of an indictment admitting he was an alien who was previously removed and was knowingly and unlawfully found in the United States in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana without the Attorney General or Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, having expressly consented to his re-application for admission into the United States. LOPEZ-ALLELA’s sentence was subject to an enhancement based on a previous aggravated felony conviction.
The case was investigated by U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations as part of Operation Cross Check, which targeted convicted criminal aliens. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert Weir.
