Illegal Alien Sentenced After Sixth Illegal Entry into the U.S.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Guatemalan man who has illegally entered the United States six times, was sentenced today to prison for his second conviction for illegally entering the United States.

“Sanchez-Velasquez has illegally crossed the southern border of the United States six times in under two years,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Undeterred by numerous prior illegal reentry convictions, Sanchez-Velasquez has clearly demonstrated his total disregard for our nation’s laws and continues to break them time and time again.”

According to court documents, Alexis Leonel Sanchez-Velasquez, 26, reentered the United States after having been removed on five prior occasions. On April 7, 2013, Sanchez-Velasquez was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol near La Joya, Texas, for illegally entering the United States. He was removed at taxpayers’ expense on April 12, 2013. On June 5, 2013, Sanchez-Velasquez was again encountered crossing the border near Loredo, Texas, not two months since being removed to Guatemala. He was again removed to Guatemala on June 17, 2013. He illegally returned again three months later and was subsequently removed to Guatemala on Sept. 24, 2013. Three months later, Sanchez-Velasquez was apprehended yet again for illegal reentry and removed on Dec. 27, 2013, for the fourth time. He was removed for a fifth time in July 2014 after illegally reentering a month prior.

He reentered the United States sometime after July 2014 and worked illegally for the past five years. On March 29, Sanchez-Velasquez was arrested for driving under the influence and was later convicted of that offense.

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. District Judge Liam O’Grady sentenced Sanchez-Velasquez to 60 days in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Reid prosecuted 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. 1:19-cr-004.