Myrtle Beach Man Enters Guilty Plea to Illegal Re-entry Charges

Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Israel Mejia-Coyoy, age 33, from Myrtle Beach pled guilty in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, to Illegal Re-Entry into the United States after Deportation, a violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a)(2).  United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on May 29, 2017, ICE-Enforcement Removal Operations Officers in Charleston, SC, discovered Israel Mejia-Coyoy, while he was in custody at the Horry County Detention Center on state charges. Records checks revealed that Mejia-Coyoy was a native and citizen of Guatemala who had previously been deported from the United States. Mejia-Coyoy has never received permission to enter or remain in the U.S. 

The case was investigated by the Horry County Police Department and agents of ICE-Enforcement Removal Operations.  Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

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