Contact Person: Bill Day (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Gerson Urbina-Padilla, age 22, of Norcross, Georgia, has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Florence, to illegal reentry, a violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a)(2). United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Urbina-Padilla is a native and citizen of Honduras who was removed from the United States on December 20, 2010. On October 26, 2012, ICE agents were contacted by the Florence County Detention Center after Urbina-Patilla was arrested by the Florence County Sheriffs Office for possession of cocaine. Urbina-Patilla had not obtained authorization to reenter the United States after his prior deportation.

Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty Urbina-Padilla can receive is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment for 2 years, plus a special assessment of $100.00.

The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Florence office handled the case.

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