Defendant Also Charged with Illegal Reentry After Deportation
DALLAS - A federal grand jury in Dallas returned a three-count indictment today that charges Ignacio Garcia, 32, with one count each of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, transporting illegal aliens and illegal reentry after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. Garcia has been in custody since his arrest on June 11, 2013. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
The indictment alleges that on June 11, 2013, Garcia conspired to transport, by means of a motor vehicle for the purpose of commercial advantage and private financial gain, aliens who entered and remained in the U.S. The indictment further alleges that on June 11, 2013, Garcia, an alien, was in the U.S., having been deported and removed from the U.S. in March 2011. Public documents, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, note that Garcia was convicted of transporting undocumented aliens and sentenced in November 2010 to 13 months imprisonment, to be followed by deportation.
A federal indictment is an accusation by a grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. Upon conviction, however, the conspiracy count and the substantive transportation of illegal aliens count each carry a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The illegal reentry count, as charged, carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl is in charge of the prosecution.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
