El Salvadoran Indicted on Immigration Charge

PITTSBURGH - A resident of El Salvador, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal immigration laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

The one-count indictment named Jorge Hernandez-Flores, 29, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment, Hernandez-Flores, having previously been deported from the United States pursuant to law on Nov. 11, 2009, was present in the Western District of Pennsylvania on May 11, 2016, without having applied for and received permission from the Attorney General of the United States, or her successor, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, for re-application for admission into the United States.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than two years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Charles A. Eberle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.