Press Releases
ILLEGAL ALIEN PLEADS GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT
May 13, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ARGEMIRO CAICEDO BONILLA, age 54, a resident of Colombia, pled guilty in federal court today before U. S. District Court Judge Sarah S. Vance to a two-count indictment charging him with being a stowaway on a vessel and illegal reentry of a removed alien, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to the factual basis, on January 22, 2009, BONILLA secreted himself aboard the M/V B. Europa while it was in Venezuela until it entered St. James Parish, Louisiana. BONILLA also admitted that was as an alien who had previously been deported from the United States, and was found in the United States without having obtained consent from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
On the stowaway count, BONILLA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a fine of $250,000.00, a $100 special assessment, and one year of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. On the illegal reentry charge, BONILLA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of $250,000.00 and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment because he was convicted of an aggravated felony prior to his previous removal. Sentencing is set for August 12, 2009 at 9:30 A.M.
The case was investigated by the United States Customs and Border Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U. S. Attorney Robert Weir.
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