Four Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry Charges

RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging ANDRES CANDELA-CRUZ, age 39, of Mexico, DARWIN MIGUEL GODOY-CARCAMO, age 30, of Honduras, MELQUIADES HERNANDEZ­CASTRO, age 38, of Mexico and EDWIN LOPEZ-MEDRANO, age 46, of Honduras with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.

If convicted of illegal reentry of a deported alien, CANDELA-CRUZ, previously deported four times and found in Wake County, GODOY-CARCAMO, previously deported two times and found in Wake County, and HERNANDEZ­CASTRO, previously deported and found in Cumberland County, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

LOPEZ-MEDRANO, previously deported twice and found in New Hanover County, is alleged to have been previously removed subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction (aggravated assault).  Therefore, if convicted, he would face a maximum imprisonment term of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations.  The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

The cases are being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.