Illegal aliens arrested in northwest Louisiana plead guilty, sentenced for illegally re-entering country

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that three illegal aliens arrested in northwest Louisiana pleaded guilty and were sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to terms of imprisonment for re-entering the United States after having been removed.

Juan Antonio Morales De Dios, 33, of Mexico.  According to the guilty plea, a Sabine Parish Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on Morales De Dios’ vehicle October 7, 2018.  Pursuant to the request of the deputy, a U.S. Border Patrol agent conducted a check on the defendant and found that he had already been deported twice.  He was removed from the United States on February 9, 2006 and January 29, 2016.  United States Border Patrol and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.

Jose Orlando Garcia-Mejia, 32, of Mexico.  According to the guilty plea, Bossier City police detained Garcia-Mejia on June 2, 2018.  After investigating his background, law enforcement agents found that Garcia-Mejia had already been removed from the United States on two prior occasions.  He was found on December 11, 2017 in Bossier City and was later removed; he was also found on March 27, 2018 in Del Rio, Texas, and was later removed. Homeland Security Investigations and Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy prosecuted the case. 

Juan Cardona-Quiroz, 23, of Honduras.  According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents detained Cardona-Quiroz on October 2, 2018 in Bossier City, Louisiana, and learned that he was an illegal alien who had been removed from the United States on two occasions.  He was found in Texas on March 1, 2013 and later removed; he was also found on January 9, 2014 in Bossier City and later removed.  Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon H. Whitten prosecuted the case. 

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