Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings on November13, 2009, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, HECTOR MANUEL ARMENDARIZ-VASQUEZ, a 29-year-old Mexican citizen, pled guilty to illegal re-entry after having been deported. Sentencing is set for January 8, 2010. He is currently detained.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On October 21, 2009, ARMENDARIZ-VASQUEZ was the driver of a vehicle being inspected at a Department of Transportation portable scale check station and was ticketed for several DOT infractions.

When asked by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent as to his citizenship, ARMENDARIZ-VASQUEZ admitted that he was a citizen of Mexico.

A review of immigration record checks and fingerprint comparisons revealed that ARMENDARIZ-VASQUEZ is a citizen of Mexico and had been previously removed from the United States on April 2, 2008, at El Paso, Texas. When questioned, he admitted to having been previously removed on April 2, 2008.

Further review of immigration records did not reveal any evidence that ARMENDARIZ-VASQUEZ had received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reenter the United States after being removed.

ARMENDARIZ-VASQUEZ faces possible penalties of 2 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 1 year supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.

 

 

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