Five Previously Deported Aliens Charged With Illegal Reentry

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that five previously deported aliens were indicted separately on October 23, 2019, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. These matters arose in counties throughout the District including Franklin, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Northumberland and York Counties.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Jose Isidro Martinez-Amaya, age 53, of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in June 2012.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after June 2012, and was found in the United States in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Anibal Garcia-Santos, age 46, of Guatemala, was previously deported from the United States to Guatemala in August 2014.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after August 2014, and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Filiberto Enrique Merida-Cano was previously deported from the United States to Guatemala in January 2018.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after January 2018, and was found in the United States in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Martinez-Amaya, Garcia-Santos, and Merida-Cano face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  

Anthony Moore Copeland, age 56, of Jamaica, was previously deported from the United States to Jamaica in April 2012.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime after April 2012, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Stephen McKenzie, age 35, of Bahamas, was previously deported from the United States to the Bahamas in February 2011.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime after February 2011, and was found in the United States in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Copeland and McKenzie face a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  

These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).  Assistant United States Attorney Joanne Sanderson is prosecuting the cases.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

# # #