MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ILLEGAL REENTRY

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on August 31, 2009, MARCO ANTONIO GOMEZ-SANTIS, age 21,of Comitlan De Dominquez, Mexico, plead guilty to a one count indictment charging him with Illegal Reentry into the United States After Having Been Removed, in United States District Court at Benton, Illinois. The violation took place on June 21, 2009, in Effingham County, Illinois.

According to the indictment, GOMEZ-SANTIS had previously been removed from the United States pursuant to law on February 28, 2009, through Miami, Florida. GOMEZ-SANTIS was found in the United States on June 21, 2009, without having first obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary for Homeland Security, to apply for readmission to the United States.

GOMEZ-SANTIS faces a potential sentence of not more than 2 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one year term of supervised release and deportation. His sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for December 4, 2009, at Benton.

This case was investigated by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Carr.