El Salvadoran National Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Ellen B. Hollander, sentenced Jose Reyes Mejia-Varela, age 21, a citizen of El Salvador illegally residing in Frederick, Maryland, today to 39 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal reentry into the United States following removal for the commission of an aggravated felony.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith; and Colonel Kim C. Dine, Chief of the Frederick Police Department.

According to his guilty plea, Mejia-Varela is a national of El Salvador, who illegally entered the United States prior to 2000. On February 4, 2008, Mejia-Varela was arrested by Frederick Police Department officers, subsequently pleaded guilty in Frederick County to attempted armed robbery and was sentenced to five years in prison. On June 5, 2009, Mejia-Varela was deported to El Salvador after his release from state custody.

On March 30, 2011, Frederick Police officers interviewed Mejia-Varela in connection with a criminal investigation. During the course of his interview, it was determined that he was a previously deported alien. Mejia-Varela was taken into federal custody when ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents determined that he had illegally reentered the United States sometime between his deportation on June 5, 2009 and March 30, 2011.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended ICE Homeland Security Investigations, the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Frederick Police Department for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney P. Michael Cunningham, who prosecuted the case.