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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Aug. 19, 2009
MEXICAN CITIZEN CHARGED WITH TRANSPORTING ILLEGAL ALIENS IN KANSAS
WICHITA, KAN. – Jorge Elizalde-Juarez, 23, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with knowingly transporting undocumented aliens. According to the indictment, on July 26, 2009, he was arrested in Chase County, Kan., driving a 1997 Ford Expedition carrying 14 undocumented aliens from Mexico.
In addition, he is charged with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported, four counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of making a false statement to the U.S. government, and one count of producing a false identification document. The crimes are alleged to have occurred during 2007 and 2009 in Chase County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Transporting illegal aliens: A maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful re-entry after deportation: A maximum penalty of 2 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory 2 years to run consecutively to other sentences and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Making a false statement to the U.S. government: A maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000.
Producing a false identification: A maximum penalty of 15 years without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
A federal grand jury meeting in Wichita, Kan., also returned the following indictments:
Sandra Graciano-Martinez, 29, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of using false documents to be employed in the United States, five counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of making a false statement to the U.S. government and two counts of misusing a Social Security number. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2005 and 2009 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
According to the indictment, Graciano-Martinez used false documents to be employed at a McDonald’s restaurant in Wichita and gave Workforce, Inc., a Social Security number assigned to another person.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Using fraudulent documents to be employed: A maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000.
Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory 2 years in federal prison without parole on each count to run consecutively to other sentences.
Making a false statement to the U.S. government: A maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000.
The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Virgilio Diaz-Romero, 27, a citizen of Guatemala, is charged with one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported, 11 counts of aggravated identity theft, four counts of making a false statement to the U.S. government, two counts of producing a false identification document, two counts of using false documents to be employed in the United States, and two counts of misusing a Social Security number. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 in Cowley County, Kan.
According to the indictment, he used false identification documents to deceive two employers: Workforce, Inc., and The Arnold Group.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Producing a false identification: A maximum penalty of 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Using false documents to be employed: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory 2 years to run consecutively to other sentences and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Making a false statement: A maximum penalty of 5 years without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Misusing a Social Security number: A maximum penalty of 5 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count.
Unlawful re-entry: A maximum penalty of 2 years without parole and a fine up to $250,0000.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Martin Rojas-Alvarez, 33, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found July 20, 2009, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years without parole and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Miguel Gardea-Villaneueva, 39, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found Aug. 10, 2009, in Edwards County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years without parole and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Lorenzo Olivas-Cervantes, 39, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found July 30, 2009, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.
Crystal R. Myers, 31, Wichita, Kan., is charged with two counts of distributing methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Jan. 11, 2008, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, she faces a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million on each count. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.
Maria Elena Hernandez-Gonzalez, 40, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported, one count of making a false statement in an application for a passport, and one count of aggravated identity theft. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2008 in Shawnee, Kan.
Upon conviction the crimes carry the following penalties:
False statement on a passport application: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory 2 years in federal prison without parole to run consecutively to other sentences.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.
Calvin Williams, 30, Wichita, Kan., is charged with threatening to retaliate against a witness in an official proceeding. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 14, 2009.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department investigated.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments filed merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
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