Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Zeferino Mendoza-Ojeda, age 42, of Pelion, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Columbia, South Carolina, for Reentry of Removed Aliens, a violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., of Columbia, sentenced Mendoza-Ojeda to time served (approximately 9 months imprisonment) with no supervised release because he is expected to be deported upon completion of his sentence.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Mendoza-Ojeda is a Mexican citizen who had previously been deported twice with the second deportation occurring after he was convicted for felony driving under the influence causing great bodily injury as a result of an accident. He was encountered by ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations agents on July 8, 2017 at the Lexington County Detention Center after being arrested for traffic offenses.
Agents of ICE-Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
