Central African Republic National Sentenced For Resisting Deportation Orders

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Seyba Diallo, 46, of the Central African Republic, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one year in prison for two counts of impeding or hampering his deportation, and he was also sentenced to one year of supervised release for each count. He will serve the terms concurrently.
                       
On March 12, 2013, after a two-day trial, a jury found Diallo guilty on two counts of impeding or hampering his deportation from the United States. Based on witness testimony and documents admitted into evidence, it was established that on Nov. 11, 2011 and March 13, 2012, Diallo physically resisted U.S. Immigration Enforcement Agents when they attempted to put him on a commercial flight in Alexandria to return him to his country of origin.  On both dates, agents brought him to the Alexandria International Airport and attempted to put him on a commercial flight where he began to yell and physically resist officers, which prevented him from being allowed on the flight because of airline and Transportation Security Administration policies. Diallo’s actions at the airport delayed his removal, but they also led to his travel documents issued by the Central African Republic expiring, which further delayed his removal until new travel documents could be obtained.  Diallo has been in the United States for more than nine years.