Three Illegal Aliens Sentenced For Unlawfully Re-Entering United States

Gulfport, Miss. – Three illegal aliens, who were arrested while being transported in the same human smuggling operation, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. for unlawful return after removal from the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Chief Joseph A. Banco Jr., Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.

Domingo Lopez-Lopez, age 25, an illegal alien from Mexico; Victor Manuel Polanco-Aguilar, age 23, an illegal alien from Guatemala; and Carlos Vazquez-Hernandez a/k/a Carlos Vasquez-Hernandez, age 21, also an illegal alien from Guatemala, were each sentenced to 5 months in federal prison. Each of the men had been convicted after pleading guilty before Judge Guirola on April 10, 2018.

On February 6, 2018, a U.S. Border Patrol agent conducted a traffic stop on a Toyota Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), displaying a Georgia license plate on Interstate 10, east bound, in Harrison County. The agent encountered the driver, Carlos Manuel Legra-Ramirez, age 43, a citizen of Cuba and a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States living in Georgia. After interviewing the passengers in the vehicle, all claimed to be citizens and nationals of other countries illegally present in the United States. The driver, all passengers, and the vehicle were arrested and transported to the Gulfport Border Patrol Station. Agents determined that the passengers were being transported from Texas to Florida and Georgia, and that three defendants sentenced today had been removed from the United States and had unlawfully returned.

On June 1, 2018, Legra-Ramirez, pled guilty to the crime of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens within the United States and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden on September 7, 2018. Legra-Ramirez faces a potential maximum 10 years imprisonment, not more than 3 years supervised release, a maximum $250,000 fine, and special assessments that could total $5,100. He also will be subject to immigration removal proceedings.

U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Border Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case.