El Salvador Citizen Convicted For Deportation Order Noncompliance

ALEXANDRIA, La.– United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Manuel Rivas, 45, of El Salvador, was found guilty on Friday by a federal jury on two counts of resisting his deportation. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell presided over the trial.

Rivas’ trial started Thursday and ended Friday morning with the jury returning the guilty verdict after deliberating for 28 minutes. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Rivas on July 11, 2011, and he was issued an administrative order for removal because he was an alien convicted of a felony. According to court documents, Rivas refused to fill out necessary paperwork for his request for travel documentation from El Salvador on July 3, 2012, and Aug. 16, 2012.

“There is no basis for the defendant to remain in the United States after being convicted of a felony,” Finley stated. “His refusal to comply with deportation orders on multiple occasions caused unnecessary cost to ICE. I want to thank the prosecutor in the case and ICE officials who investigated this case.”

“Immigration and Customs Enforcement will continue to dedicate all its resources to prosecuting individuals who hamper their removal,” said Scott L. Sutterfield, acting field office director for the New Orleans Field Office. “This case illustrates our close cooperation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the successful prosecution of egregious immigration law violators who pose a threat to public safety and border security.”

Rivas faces four years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release for each count. Sentencing has been set for July 5, 2013.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Seiji Ohashi prosecuted the case.