2 illegal aliens plead guilty, 9 sentenced who were arrested in south Louisiana

LAFAYETTE/LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that two illegal aliens pleaded guilty and nine were sentenced last week after being arrested in south Louisiana for various offenses.

Illegal alien from Mexico arrested in Lafayette Parish pleads guilty to possessing revolver, shotgun

LAFAYETTE, La. – Jose Daniel Molina, 36, of Veracruz, Mexico, pleaded guilty January 29, 2019 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol B. Whitehurst for one count of possessing of firearms by an illegal alien.  The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter.  According to the guilty plea, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call on December 2, 2018 of shots being fired near a residence in Duson, Louisiana.  Deputies found Molina’s vehicle parked at the intersection of Dwayne Road and Tunica Lane, and also found a Mossberg 20-gauge shotgun in plain view in the backseat of the car, and a Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver with three live rounds and three empty casings on the ground about 10 feet from the driver’s side window of Molina’s car.  Molina was later taken into custody and told Homeland Security agents that he illegally entered the country in 2000 and was in possession of the two firearms.

Molina faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and possible deportation.  The court set an April 24, 2019 sentencing date.

Homeland Security Investigations, ATF and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.

6 illegal aliens arrested in southwest Louisiana pleaded guilty, sentenced for re-entering the country illegally

            LAKE CHARLES, La. – The following illegal aliens pleaded guilty and were sentenced January 31, 2019 for re-entering the United States after having been removed.

Gerardo Valencia-Alvarez, 24, of Mexico. According to the guilty plea, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle Valencia-Alvarez was traveling in on October 8, 2018.  After further investigation, law enforcement agents found that he was an illegal alien from Mexico and had been removed from the country previously in 2013. United States Border Patrol and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the cases.

Josue David Diaz-Ramos, 23, of Honduras.  According to the guilty plea, the Sulphur Police Department contacted the U.S. Border Patrol for assistance in handling illegal aliens found during a traffic stop.  Border Patrol agents found that Diaz-Ramos has been removed from the country in 2014 and was not allowed to re-enter the country. United States Border Patrol and Sulphur Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the cases.

Alberto Herndandez-Villeda, 48, of Mexico.  According to the guilty plea, Cameron Parish Sheriff’s deputies found Hernandez-Villeda with another illegal alien on November 8, 2018 while investigating a complaint about someone trespassing on private property.  Border Patrol agents discovered that the defendant had been previously removed from the United States on July 14, 2017 and was not allowed in the country.  United States Border Patrol and Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the cases. 

Pedro Santiago-Gomez, 23, of Honduras.  According to the guilty plea, Santiago-Gomez was traveling in a vehicle that was stopped by Louisiana State Police for hit and run.  State Police contacted Border Patrol, and they determined that Santiago had been previously removed from the country in 2013.  United States Border Patrol and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the cases.

Hector Ramiro Iglesias-Pineda, 33, of Honduras, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of illegal re-entry of a removed alien. According to the guilty plea, Iglesias-Pineda was found in Jefferson Davis Parish on October 28, 2018.  He was an illegal alien who has been removed from the United States previously on December 6, 2010.  Homeland Security Investigations and the Jennings Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips prosecuted the case.

Saul Gallindo-Martinez, 33, of Puebla, Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of illegal re-entry of a removed alien.  According to the guilty plea, Gallindo-Martinez was found on September 12, 2018 in Beauregard Parish.  The defendant had been previously deported on December 10, 2012 after pleading guilty in the 14^th Judicial District Court in Calcasieu Parish to driving while intoxicated, first offense.  Homeland Security Investigations and the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips prosecuted the case.

The defendants were also sentenced to a term of imprisonment spanning the time of incarceration to sentencing.  They were then remanded to the custody of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.

Mexican national sentenced to 27 months in prison for transporting 9 illegal aliens in Calcasieu Parish  

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Felix Manuel Juarez-Peralta, 28, of Durango, Mexico, was sentenced January 31, 2019 by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of illegal alien transportation.  According to the October 12, 2018 guilty plea, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle June 7, 2018 traveling west on Interstate 10 in Sulphur, Louisiana.  Officers found Juarez-Peralta and nine illegal aliens in a Toyota 4Runner.  One of the passengers was an unaccompanied minor.  After questioning the defendant, Juarez-Peralta admitted that he knew the passengers were illegal aliens and that he had been paid to transport them.

Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol and Calcasieu Combined Anti-Drug Team conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.

Illegal alien from Mexico arrested in Calcasieu Parish pleads guilty re-entering U.S. for 7^th time  

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Michael Murillo-Vasquez, 39, of Mexico, pleaded guilty February 1, 2019 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay on one count of illegal re-entry of a removed alien.  According to the guilty plea, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s deputies stopped the vehicle Murillo-Vasquez was driving on September 27, 2018 at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Interstate 10.  Upon further investigation, Border Patrol agents found that Murillo-Vasquez had been removed from the country six times in November 2006, July 2007, November 2011, May 2012, February 2013 and October 2014.

Murillo-Vasquez faces up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and possible deportation. The court set sentencing for May 9, 2019. United States Border Patrol and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.