The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, in Cleveland, has expressed its intent to continue to prosecute illegal alien reentry cases, which account for the majority of immigration offenses.
United States Attorney Justin E. Herdman recently made the announcement.
Those cases involving additional criminal conduct, violent attacks, or conduct that threatens public safety, will also remain a priority for federal prosecution.
Attorney General William P. Barr said, “Let us state the reality up front and as clearly as possible: When we are talking about sanctuary cities, we are talking about policies that are designed to allow criminal aliens to escape. These policies are not about people who come to our country illegally but have otherwise been peaceful and productive members of society. Their express purpose is to shelter aliens whom local law enforcement has already arrested for other crimes. This is neither lawful nor sensible.”
Herdman said, “Our ability to protect our community from violent criminals always depends upon close cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement. Nowhere is this principle illustrated more profoundly than instances when individuals are in this country illegally, often after having been removed multiple times before, and commit additional criminal acts here in the United States. A series of cases prosecuted by this Office help highlight this threat. We are grateful to all of our local law enforcement officials who stand arm in arm with us in keeping our neighbors safe every day.”
The U.S. Sentencing Commission reported that in Fiscal Year 2018, 82.4 percent of 22,136 known immigration offenses were from illegal reentry, making for 18241 cases. Such cases have increased 8.6 percent since FY 2014.
According to Herdman, one example of illegal reentry includes:
U.S. v. Marco Antonio Barrera-Escobedo
Defendant, who is a citizen of Mexico, originally illegally entered the United States and moved to Ohio around 2000. After being discovered illegally present in 2007 and 2008, he was removed three separate times. (May 30, 2007, June 21, 2007 and June 29, 2008). After his May 30, 2007 removal, he was found in New Mexico on June 2, 2007, and subsequently charged and convicted of illegal reentry and deported. After each removal, the defendant almost immediately returned to the U.S. without regard to the reentry requirements, and with total disrespect for the laws of the United States.
Then, on December 12, 2017, the defendant was arrested for sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a five year old child – a crime that would obviously not have been committed if the defendant had not violated the laws of this country. Ultimately, the defendant pleaded guilty to Gross Sexual Imposition and Kidnapping and was sentenced to 15 years incarceration on April 24, 2018. Based upon his illegal presence in the United States, Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement placed a detainer on the defendant and an indictment was returned for Illegal Reentry of a removed alien after deportation. On July 31, 2018, the defendant pleaded guilty and on November 14, 2018, defendant was sentenced to the statutory maximum 24 months to run consecutive to his state GSI/Kidnapping sentence. He will again be deported after completion of both sentences.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
