RICHMOND, Va. - A Mexican national who has illegally entered the United States on at least four occasions and has over a dozen convictions including assault on a child, was sentenced today to eight years in prison.
“In 24 years in the United States, Mr. Santos-Ochoa has been convicted of 17 crimes," said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The Department of Justice is committed to prioritizing criminal immigration enforcement. Especially those like Mr. Santos-Ochoa, who enter this country illegally and then commit further crimes, will be found, prosecuted, held accountable, and removed. This is an issue of public safety and national security, and one that we take very seriously."
According to court documents, Victor Santos-Ochoa, 45, was convicted of 17 misdemeanor violations in California, Georgia and Virginia between 1992 and 2007, including repeated immigration violations and state criminal convictions, and has used approximately 20 different aliases and five different dates of birth.
Santos-Ochoa was indicted and pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been removed following conviction for an aggravated felony. He will be removed from the United States immediately following the completion of his prison sentence.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-151.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
