Alberto Jose Zapata Morel Sentenced For Illegal Re-entry

ALBERTO JOSE ZAPATA MOREL, age 40, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced today in federal court by U. S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to twenty (20) months imprisonment, announced U. S. Attorney Dana Boente. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Vance ordered that MOREL be placed on three (3) years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment, during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release.

According to court documents, on November 7, 2012, MOREL, who also goes by the name Martin de Jesus Herrera-Mayerena, pled guilty to one count of an indictment admitting he was an alien who was previously removed and was knowingly and unlawfully found in the United States in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana without the Attorney General or Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, having expressly consented to his re-application for admission into the United States. MOREL’s sentence was subject to an enhancement based on a previous aggravated felony conviction.

The case was investigated by U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE). The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert Weir.