MEXICAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS IN PRISON FOR ILLEGAL REENTRY

            TUCSON, Ariz. - On May 23, 2012, Benjamin Lopez-Patino, 45, of Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David C. Bury to 120 months in federal prison for illegal reentry after deportation. 

            Lopez-Patino was arrested on Sept. 24, 2011, by U.S. Border Patrol agents near the village of Crow Hang on the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation. He pleaded guilty to a one count indictment on March 13, 2012. In 2003, Lopez-Patino was convicted of illegal reentry after deportation and sentenced to 100 months in federal prison. He has a lengthy criminal history comprised of 27 other prior convictions, which include felony child abuse, assault, assault with intent to cause serious physical injury, burglary of an occupied structure, vehicle theft, and three convictions for driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor. 

            The investigation in this case was conducted by U.S. Border Patrol.  The prosecution was handled by George Ferko, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:                  CR-11-03601-TUC-DCB
RELEASE NUMBER:           2012-130(Lopez-Patino)

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az