Nicaraguan Charged With Immigration Violation
PITTSBURGH, Pa. ‑ Acting United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar announced today, August 4, 2010, that Augusto Cesar Mendoza‑Esquivel of Nicaragua, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal immigration laws.
The one‑count indictment named Mendoza‑Esquivel, age 30, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, on July 12, 2010, Mendoza-Esquivel was found in Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, after having unlawfully re‑entered the United States following removal on or about May 8, 2003.
Assistant United States Attorney Barbara K. Swartz, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of two (2) years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Uniontown Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
