Montgomery, Alabama - Jose Javier Gomez-Colin, a citizen and national of Mexico who had been working illegally in Russell County, Alabama, was sentenced Thursday by United States District Court Chief Judge W. Keith Watkins to 57-months in federal prison for illegal re-entry into the United States, a felony under federal law, announced George L. Beck, Jr., United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. In October 2011, Gomez pled guilty to being an alien found voluntarily in the Middle District of Alabama without the permission of the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General of the United States after having been removed from the United States once previously.

Gomez, a native and citizen of Mexico, had acquired lawful permanent residency in the United States in 1990. But after a conviction for Child Molestation in 2009 out of Clayton County State Court in Georgia, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revoked Gomez’s status in this county and removed him from the United States in July 2010. Less than eight months later, following an arrest for three counts of public lewdness involving children, Gomez was found in the Russell County area illegally.

Having considered Gomez’s extensive criminal history, which includes six convictions for Driving under the Influence, a Public Indecency conviction, a Child Molestation conviction, two prior charges for Child Molestation, an arrest for Battery, and three pending charges for Public Lewdness, as well as Gomez’s illegal return to the United States, Chief Judge Watkins sentenced Gomez to 57-months in federal prison. In addition to the prison sentence, Chief Judge Watkins sentenced Gomez to serve 3 years of supervised release. Gomez also faces administrative removal proceedings with the United States Department of Homeland Security, ICE, following his prison sentence.

According to United States Attorney Beck, “A sentence such as the one given to Mr. Gomez shows how important it is to prosecute individuals who illegally return to the United States time and time again and place not only our community, but our children at risk. This office remains committed to prosecuting criminals who repeatedly violate the criminal and immigration laws of the United States and prey on innocent children.”

The case was investigated by agents from the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Monica A. 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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