Honduran Man Pleads Guilty To Illegally Re-Entering The United States After Having Been Previously Deported

            CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE –United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that Victor Lopez-Mejia, of Honduras, has pleaded guilty to re-entering the United States after having been deported previously.

            Lopez-Mejia pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Landya McCafferty to an Indictment that had been returned by the Grand Jury on October 19, 2016.

            According to court filings and statements in Court, on May 1, 2016, Lopez-Mejia was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for speeding by a New Hampshire State Police Trooper. While the Trooper was checking the identity of the vehicle operator and occupants, Lopez-Mejia jumped from the vehicle and began to run away, but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. A Deportation Officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations in Manchester was then contacted for assistance in positively identifying Lopez-Mejia. A subsequent records check ultimately confirmed that Lopez-Mejia had in fact been deported previously to Honduras.

            Lopez-Mejia will be sentenced at 11:00 AM on April 20, 2017 and faces likely deportation after serving his sentence.

            The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfred Rubega is prosecuting this case.

###