Two Men Sentenced for Immigration Crimes

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two men were sentenced by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger for immigration crimes today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.

“Six prior removals between these two men,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Line skippers.  They need to get in line and obtain permission to legally enter our country.”

Juan Carlos Reyes-Molina, 23, a Honduran man, was sentenced for “time served”  Reyes-Molina previously entered a guilty plea to the felony offense of Reentry of a Removed Alien on May 29, 2019 and has been incarcerated since March 1, 2019.  Reyes-Molina was remanded to ICE agents for administrative removal proceedings.   The West Virginia State Police and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the investigation.

On March 9, 2019,  a West Virginia State Police Trooper saw a car that was stopped at Mile Marker 52 on the West Virginia Turnpike outside of Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia.  Three men were standing outside a car with its emergency blinkers on.  When the Trooper pulled in, the men ran to the car and began to drive away.  The Trooper asked the driver what was happening and for a driver’s license.  The driver could not communicate with the Trooper due to a language barrier and did not have a driver’s license.  The Trooper contacted a translator service provided by ICE to assist.  The driver and two other individuals spoke with ICE agents telephonically and all three were found to be in the United States illegally. All three men were taken into custody and fingerprinted.  Reyes, one of the three men, was found to be a prior reentry case.  Specifically, his prints matched four prior removals from Arizona and California in 2017 and 2018.  Reyes admitted to ICE agents that he was in the United States illegally and had not obtained permission to legally enter the United States.  He had not otherwise sought legal status or citizenship. Reyes further admitted to ICE agents that he was a Honduran citizen.

Baltazer Victorino Tulul-Ajqui, a Guatemalan national man, was sentenced to “time served.”  Tulul-Ajqui, 30, was immediately remanded to ICE custody for administrative  hearings concerning removal.   Tulul-Ajqui previously pled guilty to the felony offense of Reentry of a Removed Alien on June 5, 2019 and has been in federal custody since May 1, 2019.   The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the investigation.

On May 1, 2019, Tulul-Ajqui was found in Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia by ICE agents who received a tip that he was working illegally in the United States.  ICE agents located Tulul-Ajqui’s residence and arrested him when he confirmed that he was in the United States illegally.  Tulul-Ajqui had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.

Fingerprinting matched Tulul-Ajqui to two prior removals from the United States in 2010 and 2015.  In both cases, Tulul-Ajqui was found by immigration judges to be in the United States illegally and he was deported to Guatemala.  He had not obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Tulul-Ajqui further admitted to ICE agents that he was a Guatemalan citizen.

Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is responsible for the prosecutions.  

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