Illegal Alien with Prior Convictions Sentenced to Sixteen Months in Prison

A man who illegally re-entered the United States after being deported was sentenced July 14, 2015, to 16 months in federal prison.

Jose Alejandro Vasquez-Pacheco, age 33, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Mount Vernon, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 23, 2015, guilty plea to one count of illegally reentering the United States after having been deported following a felony conviction.

The evidence showed that Vasquez-Pacheco was convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in 2003, and twice in 2007.  He violated the terms of his state probation and a warrant was issued for his arrest in 2008.  Vasquez- Pacheco was deported to Mexico on August 8, 2009, and again on August 13, 2009.  He again illegally re-entered the United States in August 2010.  On March 17, 2015, Vasquez-Pacheco was arrested by immigration officers in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Vasquez-Pacheco was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade.  He was sentenced to sixteen months’ imprisonment.  A special assessment of $100 was imposed.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.       

Vasquez-Pacheco is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 15-CR-0029.

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