Four Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry Charges, Illegal and Unlawful Alien in Possession of Firearms, and Visa Fraud

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 MARCELINO CARMONA-TORRES, age 28, of Mexico, and CESAR RUIZ-TOSTA, age 40, of Honduras, with illegal reentry of a deported alien.         

Additionally, the grand jury returned an indictment charging ERIK ZARATE-GARCIA, age 45, of Mexico, with illegal and unlawful alien in possession of firearms, and ESTUARDO CAMEY-GONZALEZ, age 49, of Guatemala, with illegal and unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and visa fraud. 

If convicted of illegal reentry of a deported alien, CARMONA-TORRES previously deported and found in Wake County, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

RUIZ-TOSTA, previously deported twice and found in Wake County, is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction, illegal re-reentry in the Western District of Texas.  Therefore, if convicted, would face a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

If convicted of illegal alien in possession of firearms, CAMEY-GONZALEZ, found in Nash County, and ZARATE-GARCIA, found in Cumberland County, would face maximum penalties of 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Additionally, if found guilty of visa fraud, CAMEY-GONZALEZ would face maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment, a $500,000 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.