Three Previously Deported Aliens Charged With Illegal Reentry

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that three previously deported aliens were indicted separately on August 28, 2019, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. These matters arose in counties throughout the District including Dauphin, Franklin, and York.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Laurencio Hernandez-Hernandez, age 38, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in April 2008.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after April 2008, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Felix Ruiz-Arrendondo, age 37, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in April 2016.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after April 2016, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Hernandez-Hernandez and Ruiz-Arrendondo face a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  

Luis Mejia-Gomez, age 34, of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in June 2007.  He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after June 2007, and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.

Mejia-Gomez faces a maximum penalty of two 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 Hoffman 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.

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