Illegal alien sentenced to 24 months in prison for returning to the United States

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Mexican national was sentenced last week to 24 months in prison for reentering the United States illegally for the third time.

Isais Hernandez-Vasquez, 33, of Mexico, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of reentry by a removed alien without permission. According to the September 7, 2017 guilty plea, Hernandez-Vasquez was arrested on July 17, 2014 in St. Martin Parish. He pleaded guilty and was convicted on June 2, 2017 of attempted possession of methamphetamine. Agents later encountered him and discovered that he had been previously removed from the United States. He was removed on August 27, 2009 and April 3, 2014 after criminal convictions. He was not authorized to return to the United States.

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.