Previously deported convicted felon sentenced to 3 years in prison

DAYTON, Ohio – A Mexican national, who was deported in 2002, was sentenced on Monday to three years in prison for illegally re-entering the United States after his deportation. This prison sentence follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Carlos Juarez-Venegas, 37, of Union City, Ind., was convicted of an aggravated felony charge in October 2000 in California for a lewd act upon a child, which led to his removal to Mexico.

ICE ERO officers recently encountered Juarez-Venegas at Ohio's Darke County Jail and determined that he had been deported in 2002. A deportation order prevents an individual from legally entering the United States for a 10-year period. Anyone who illegally re-enters the United States after having been formally deported commits a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

"This prison sentence sends a clear message to the public that our nation's immigration laws are to be obeyed and respected," said Rebecca Adducci, field office director for ICE ERO in Detroit. "We will continue to work closely with federal prosecutors to ensure that those who defy a deportation order are held accountable for their actions."

U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice stated that Juarez-Venegas will be deported to Mexico after he completes his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Guerrier, Southern District of Ohio, prosecuted this case.