Carlos Juarez
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury recently indicted a Honduran national on gun, drug and illegal re-entry charges and other foreign nationals in North Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges CARLOS ALBERTO JUAREZ-MENDEZ, 24, with being in the United States illegally on Feb. 10 after having been deported from Texas in 2015. Juarez-Mendez was living in Birmingham.
The indictment also charges Juarez-Mendez with two counts of illegally possessing a firearm, a Ruger 9mm pistol, on Feb. 10. One count charges that he possessed the pistol following a 2016 felony conviction in Jefferson County District Court for unlawfully possessing a controlled substance. The second gun count charges that Juarez-Mendez was an illegal alien possessing the pistol. The final count of the indictment charges that Juarez-Mendez illegally possessed cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana on Feb. 10.
“Convicted felons who are deported from the United States only to return to our homeland in possession of illegal firearms and illicit drugs will be prosecuted again, not simply deported,” Town said. “DHS and my office will continue to aggressively pursue justice for any illegal aliens engaged in criminal activity.”
The maximum penalty for illegal re-entry is two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for being a convicted felon or an illegal alien in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for illegal possession of a controlled substance is one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
The grand jury also returned four other illegal re-entry indictments.
A one-count indictment charges BYRON DANILO CRISTOBAL-PECHE, 33, a Guatemalan national who was living in Florence, with being illegally in the United States on March 16 after having been deported in 2004 and twice in 2012. The removals followed a conviction for an aggravated felony, according to the indictment. The maximum penalty for illegal re-entry when a prior aggravated felony conviction exists is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
A one-count indictment charges JOSE RAFAEL MONZON-SANDOVAL, 48, a Mexican national, who was living in Fairfield, with being in the United States illegally on Feb. 26 after having been deported in October 2016 following a conviction for an aggravated felony.
Separate one-count indictments charge both NEREO CONSECO-SANTIAGO, 41, and JAMES BRAHIN REYES-CARBAJAL, 20, with illegally re-entering the United States after deportation.
Conseco-Santiago was found in the country illegally on March 17, according to his indictment. He is a Mexican citizen who was living in Cullman. Conseco-Santiago had been deported to Mexico in March, September and November of 2013, according to his indictment.
Reyes-Carbajal was found in the country illegally on April 6 in Jefferson County, according to his indictment. He is a Honduran citizen who was living in Birmingham. Reyes-Carbajal had been deported to Honduras in 2011 and 2015, according to his indictment.
Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s HSI investigated the cases, which the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama is prosecuting.
