PHILADELPHIA - Vivian George Stewart, 49, who has used five aliases in his attempts to enter or remain in the United States, was sentenced May 16 to 26 months in prison for re-entering the country illegally, announced United States Attorney William M. McSwain. Stewart pled guilty in February.
Stewart had previously been convicted in 2006 of participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy, and in 2009 of illegal reentry after deportation. In addition, Stewart has been deported on three separate occasions.
Most recently, Stewart was convicted of illegal reentry after deportation in the Southern District of Florida. Stewart was removed to Jamaica after serving his sentence, but he returned to the United States once again. In November 2017, the defendant was encountered in Philadelphia and identified from fingerprint analysis performed by agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, who concluded that Stewart had once again returned to this country unlawfully.
“This defendant has shown no regard for U.S. immigration laws and has been undeterred by prior criminal prosecution," said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “This is a significant sentence and one that we hope will deter this kind of brazen disregard for U.S. law."
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Jordan.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
