Jordanian Sentenced For Marrying On Two Separate Occasions To Evade Immigration Laws

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that Emad Edin Yousef Abdallah, 29, of Jordan, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik, to time served and two years of supervised release for marrying on two separate occasions in an attempt to evade U.S. immigration laws. Haik stated that Abdallah had agreed to leave the United States within 10 days of sentencing.  The judge also stated that if Abdallah returns to the United States within the two year supervised release period, the terms of his federal supervised release will be reinstated. 
 
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, the defendant admitted that he entered into two fraudulent marriages to change his immigration status and evade the immigration laws of the United States.  The March 3, 2009, marriage ended in divorce in June of 2010, and Abdallah married another woman on June 27, 2011.  He admitted that the second marriage also took place in part to change his immigration status and evade immigration laws.

“The defendant in this case admitted to illegally getting married on two separate occasions in order to remain in this country,” Finley stated.  “His actions were a willful violation of immigration laws.  My office will continue to look at these cases and prosecute them when warranted.”

United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. McManus prosecuted the case.