SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Eddy Wilkins, also known as Alejandro Hernandez, age 65, and a citizen of Mexico, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously deported, as well as fraud and misuse of a social security number, and aggravated identity theft.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, Thomas E. Feeley, Director of the Buffalo Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and John F. Grasso, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), New York Field Office.
The indictment alleges that Wilkins was previously removed from the United States to Mexico following his conviction for an aggravated felony, returned, and was found near Syracuse. The indictment also alleges that the defendant falsely represented a social security number belonging to someone else to be his own and used that means of identification without permission. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted, Wilkins faces up to 20 years in prison on the illegal reentry offense, up to five years in prison on the fraudulent misuse of a social security number offense, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years on the aggravated identity theft count. He also faces a maximum potential fine of $250,000 on each count and up to three years of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Wilkins was arraigned today in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles, and ordered detained pending a trial scheduled for Feb. 12, 2018.
This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Levine.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
