Aggravated felon pleads guilty to illegally re-entering the United States

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Honduran national pleaded guilty Tuesday to re-entering the country after having been previously deported for committing an aggravated felony.

Timoteo Gonzalez-Leiva, 42, of Honduras, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of illegal re-entry after being deported as an aggravated felon. His plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Shreveport Police arrested Gonzalez-Levia on October 26, 2014. On October 28, 2014, he was convicted of simple battery and sentenced to prison. On January 7, 2015, at the completion of his jail sentence, the Caddo Parish Sheriff notified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of his pending release. ICE agents found that the defendant had been deported and then unlawfully returned to the United States multiple times. He was arrested in March of 1998 for first degree robbery in Delaware and sentenced to two years in prison. After serving the prison sentence, he was deported as an aggravated felon to Honduras. He later unlawfully re-entered the United States again, was arrested and removed in April of 2004, and again in February of 2006.

Gonzalez-Leiva faces up to 20 years in prison, one to three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine and deportation after completion of his prison term. A sentencing date of November 2, 2015 was set.

United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement-Immigration Enforcement and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case.