Five Men Convicted And Sentenced For Illegal Reentry

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y.-Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Michael Cruz Mejia, 21, and Sinai Aguilar-Rodriguez, 30, originally from Mexico but most recently of Buffalo, NY, along with Salustio Lopez-Marquez, 38, Everardo Lopez-Marquez, 36, and Joanathan Lopez-Marquez, 22, originally from Mexico but most recently of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States and were sentenced to time served by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Counihan, who handled the case, stated that the five defendants were taken into custody in the early morning hours of August 8, 2016, while playing basketball in Orchard Park. The defendants were found in the United States after having been previously deported and removed from the United States to Mexico.

Joanathan Lopez-Marquez was previously removed from the United States on one occasion. Cruz-Mejia, Aguilar-Rodriguez, Salustio Lopez-Marquez had each previously been removed twice, while Everardo Lopez-Marquez had previously been removed three times. Following sentencing, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement took custody of the defendants. All five worked for Sergio Ramses Mucino who was arrested on October 18, 2016, on charges of harboring illegal aliens.

The pleas and sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Orchard Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Pacholec, U.S. Border Patrol, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James C. Spero.