Removed Alien Charged with Re-entering U.S. without Permission
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of San Salvador, El Salvador, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on a charge of violating federal immigration laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The one-count indictment named Rafael Antonio Lopez-Rodas, 30, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment presented to the court, on or about November 5, 2011, Lopez-Rodas was found to be unlawfully present within the United States. Lopez-Rodas had been previously ordered deported and removed from the United States in absentia on March 30, 2006 and was removed from the United States on April 18, 2008. The defendant subsequently re-entered the United States, and was found to be present in this country without the permission of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Christine A. Sanner is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
