Four men indicted on illegal alien charges

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Mexican men, a Nicaraguan man, and a man from El Salvador have been indicted by a federal grand jury on reentry of a removed alien charges, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.

Elias Rojas-Zapata, age 30, of Nicaragua, was indicted on one count of “Reentry of Removed Alien.” Rojas-Zapata, having previously been removed from Louisiana, allegedly was found in Brooke County in June 2017 without consent.

Mauro Nieto-Garcia, age 26, of Mexico, and Noe Jacinto-Nieto, age 26, also of Mexico, were each indicted on one count of “Reentry of Removed Alien.” Nieto-Garcia, and Jacinto-Neito, each having previously been removed from Arizona, allegedly were found in Ohio County in June 2017 without consent.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting all three cases on behalf of the government. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Brooke County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the Rojas-Zapata case. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Bethlehem Police Department are investigating the Nieto-Garcia and Jacinto-Nieto cases.

Miguel Angel Melendez-Lopez, age 37, of El Salvador, was also indicted on indicted one count of “Reentry of Removed Alien.” Melendez-Lopez has previously been removed from Newark, New Jersey and Atlanta, Georgia, allegedly was found in Ohio County without consent in July 2017.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the Melendez-Lopez case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the West Virginia State Police are investigating the Melendez-Lopez case.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.