Judge Sentences Mexican Citizen to Prison for Illegally Re-entering U.S. after Deporation

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A citizen of Mexico has been sentenced in federal court in Johnstown to 15 months in prison, and upon his release, to be placed in the custody of Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, for deportation, on his conviction of reentry of an illegal alien, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Jorge Ceballos-Ponce, 55, of Blair County, Pa.

According to information presented to the court, on Nov. 16, 2016 Ceballos-Ponce, an alien who had been deported from the United States on Apr. 24, 2007, was found in Blair County, Pa. He had unlawfully re-entered this Country without receiving permission to do so from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie L. Haines prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Ms. Song commended the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Ceballos-Ponce.