Mexican National Sentenced to 5 Years Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry Following Multiple Deportations

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Fermin Ortuno Valdovinos, 47, of Summerville, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegal reentry of an alien after removal, subsequent to a conviction of an aggravated felony, and violation of supervised release.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Valdovinos has a lengthy criminal history. He has reentered the country three times following three separate deportations. Additionally, Valdovinos has convictions for child sex crimes in the U.S.

On July 13, 2009, ICE officers encountered Valdovinos in the Anaheim City Jail in California where he was being held for charges of lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and forcible lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14. Valdovinos was interviewed and questioned regarding his immigration status in the United States and admitted entering the United States without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by an Immigration Officer.

On March 28, 2011, Valdovinos was convicted in the California Superior Court in Orange County, California of the offense of lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, and for two counts of the offense of forcible lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14. He was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.

While serving his sentence for child sex crimes, an Immigration official in San Berdino, California ordered Valdovinos to be removed to Mexico. Valdovinos was removed from the United States to Mexico on July 2, 2019. 

Days later on July 11, 2019, near Sasabe, Arizona, Valdovinos illegally entered the United States and was encountered by a United States Border Patrol (USBP) agent. On Oct. 1, 2019, Valdovinos pleaded guilty to illegal reentry into the United States, subsequent to a conviction for a felony, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. On Jan. 6, 2020, Valdovinos was sentenced to 24-months’ imprisonment and 36-months’ supervised release.

On April 14, 2021, the Order of Removal was executed, whereby Valdovinos was removed from the United States to Mexico for a second time.

On July 8, 2022, in San Clemente, California, Valdovinos illegally entered the United States and was encountered by the USBP.  On Sept. 21, 2022, Valdovinos pled guilty to improper attempted entry by an alien, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.  He received a six month sentence. On Oct. 31, 2022, Valdovinos was found to be in violation of the terms of his supervised release in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California and was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment and 24 months’ supervised release.

On July 5, 2023, the Order of Removal was executed, whereby Valdovinos was removed from the United States to Mexico for the third time.

At some point following the third removal, Valdovinos again reentered the U.S. On June 20, 2024, the Berkeley County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office arrested Valdovinos for failing to register as a sex offender.

Valdovinos was charged with illegal reentry of an alien after removal, subsequent to a conviction of an aggravated felony. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergelsentenced Valdovinos to 50 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Judge Gergel also sentenced Valdovinos to 10 months imprisonment for violation of supervised release, to be served consecutive to the 50-month term of imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement- Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.

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