Panamanian Woman Heads To Prison For Illegal Re-entry Into The United States

LAREDO, Texas – Alicia Larrier, 47, has been ordered to prison for more than eight years following her conviction of illegal re-entry, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. A Laredo jury convicted the Panamanian citizen on Nov. 17, 2014, after less than a day of trial and approximately one hour of deliberations.

Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo, who presided over the trial, handed Larrier the 97-month sentence. At the hearing, Judge Marmolejo ruled Larrier obstructed justice and lied at trial. Additionally, the United States articulated that Larrier had an extensive criminal history, inclusive of aggravated robbery with a gun and practicing dentistry without a license.  She is expected to face deportation proceedings following his release from prison.

U.S. Border Patrol (BP) agents apprehended Larrier on March 18, 2014, as part of a group of nine individuals in the Hernandez Ranch near Laredo. Upon investigation, agents determined she was an illegal alien - previously ordered deported in 1993 after multiple convictions for armed robbery, forgery, grand theft and practicing dentistry without a license. She had been sentenced to more than 15 years imprisonment and ultimately deported early to the country of Panama in October 2002.

At trial, the government presented testimony from BP processing and arresting agents, as well as representative of the Department of Homeland Security. Larrier testified, but gave multiple versions of stories on the witness stand to include the claim that she had been drugged, kidnapped and smuggled into the United States against her will. 

The jury ultimately did not believe her story and found her guilty as charged.

She will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by BP and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sanjeev Bhasker and Adam Goldman prosecuted this case.