Two-Time Felon Sentenced For Illegally Reentering the U.S.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States.

“Guevara-Paz was twice convicted of felony offenses, and reentered within months after his deportation as an aggravated felon,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This is a serious issue of public safety and national security, and we remain committed to prioritizing criminal immigration enforcement.”

According to court documents, Jaime Amilcar Guevara-Paz, 42, illegally entered the United States and was deported in April 2008 as an aggravated felon after being convicted for kidnapping in the third degree in Texas, as well as another felony charge in California. Guevara-Paz was removed from the United States twice before his reentry spurring the instant prosecution.

Following his second removal in 2009, Guevara-Paz returned yet again under a fictitious name and was found to be in the country illegally in August 2018 following his arrest in Fairfax County on unrelated state charges.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey M. Jacoff, 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 sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Call and Evan Clark, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly R. Pedersen.

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 is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-356.