Montgomery, Alabama - Julius Esele, age 50, a native and citizen of Nigeria has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for unlawfully re-entering the United States after he had previously been deported, U.S. Attorney Leura G. Canary announced today.

On March 27, 2009, Esele was found in Lee County, Alabama, by Alabama State Troopers who were investigating Esele. At that time, Esele lacked permission to re-enter the United States. Esele previously had been deported to Nigeria on June 5, 1998, after serving a federal prison sentence imposed in February 1997 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia for conspiracy to possess stolen mail; commit credit card fraud; transfer false identification documents; falsely represent social security numbers, and commit bank fraud.

Esele was indicted in July 2009 by a federal grand jury in Montgomery for illegally reentering the United States and. He pleaded guilty on November 6, 2009. United States District Judge Keith W. Watkins sentenced Esele on February 9, 2010, to 18-months imprisonment as well as a $50,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Following Esele’s release from imprisonment, he will face administrative deportation proceedings with the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Alabama Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Monica Stump prosecuted the case.

 

PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: usaalm.press@usdoj.gov
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-7617

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