Press Releases
ILLEGAL ALIENS PLEAD GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT
May 21, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Three illegal aliens pled guilty yesterday in federal court to charges involving their illegal re-entry into the United States, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
In the first case, GILBERTO ZUNIGA-VALLE, age 41, a resident of Mexico, pled guilty before U. S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to a one-count indictment charging him with illegal re-entry by a removed alien. According to the factual basis, on March 2, 2009, ZUNIGA-VALLE admitted that he was an alien who had previously been removed and was found in St. Charles Parish without consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Based on ZUNIGA-VALLE’s prior felony conviction, he faces an possible enhanced penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment. Sentencing has been scheduled for August 19, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. The case was investigated by U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In the second case, HECTOR ANTONIO MALDONADO-ESCALANTE, age 41, a resident of El Salvador, pled guilty before U. S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to a one-count indictment charging him with illegal re-entry by a removed alien. According to the factual basis, MALDONADO-ESCALANTE admitted that he had previously been removed and that on January 19, 2009, he was found in Orleans Parish, Louisiana without the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Based on MALDONADO-ESCALANTE’s prior aggravated felony conviction, he faces a possible enhanced sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment. Sentencing has been scheduled for August 26, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. The case was investigated by U. S. Customs and Border Protection.
In the third case, LUIS CARRASCO-RODRIGUEZ, age 48, a resident of Mexico, pled guilty before U. S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to a one-count indictment charging him with illegal re-entry by a removed alien. According to the factual basis, CARRASCO-RODRIGUEZ, admitted that he was an alien who had previously been removed and that on October 23, 2008, he was found in Orleans Parish without the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Based on CARRASCO-RODRIGUEZ’s prior felony conviction, he faces a possible enhanced sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment. Sentencing has been scheduled for August 26, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. The case was investigated by U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
All three of these prosecutions are being handled by Special Assistant U. S. Attorney Robert Weir.
(Download Factual Basis for Zuniga-Valle, Maldonado-Escalante, Carrasco-Rodriguez 
)
