The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a federal grand jury in Scranton Tuesday returned two separate indictments charging failure to depart the United States.

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Rashid Yaqoob, age 37, a native and citizen of Pakistan, was charged with allegedly failing to comply with facilitating his departure from the United States after a final order of removal had been issued. Yaqoob is currently in federal custody.

     Michael Mendoza, age 29, a native and citizen of Peru, presently in York County Prison, was also charged with allegedly failing to comply with facilitating his departure from the United States after a final order of removal had been issued.

     If convicted, Yaqoob and Mendoza each face a four-year term of imprisonment.

     The cases were investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski.

****
An Indictment or Information is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the Grand Jury and/or United States Attorney against a defendant. A charged Defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the United States has proven the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant has pleaded guilty to the charges.

Return to Top