Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty After Fourth Illegal Reentry into U.S.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A citizen of Honduras pleaded guilty today to illegal reentry into the United States. 

According to court documents, Manuel Orellana-Alvarado, 51, has been removed from the United States at taxpayer expense on four different occasions, including in September 2011, March 2012, April 2013 and March 2017. Orellana-Alvarado is a native citizen of Honduras and is classified as an aggravated felon due to a prior conviction for possessing cocaine base for sale in California in 1991. After being removed from the United States in March of 2017, Orellana-Alvarado reentered the United States and was encountered by law enforcement in the Eastern District of Virginia in February 2018. 

Orellana-Alvarado faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison.  His sentencing has been set for September 9. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Franker is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:18-cr-97.