26 Years Later, Pharr Woman Convicted of Failing to Report to Prison

McALLEN, Texas – A 47-year-old U.S. citizen who had been residing in Mexico has entered a guilty plea to failure to appear, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.

Lorena Salazar-Galvan was previously convicted of importing and possessing with the intent to distribute 79 pounds of marijuana.  In 1990, U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa sentenced her to 27 months in federal prison. She had been permitted bond throughout the court proceedings and was permitted to remain there pending surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service on Feb. 26, 1990.

She did not appear and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She was then also charged with failure to appear.

On May 26, 2016, She was apprehended as she attempted entry into the United States at the Pharr Port of Entry. 

Today, she pleaded guilty.

She has been in custody since her 2016 arrest where she will remain pending sentencing. Judge Hinojosa is presiding over this case as well and has set sentencing for Oct. 7, 2016. At that time, she faces up to five years in federal prison for failing to report to prison as well as $250,000 fine.

The U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation on the failure to appear matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Leonard is prosecuting the case.