ALBANY, NEW YORK - Fidel Herrera-Cruz, age 39, a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty today to illegal re-entry into the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Robert N. Garcia, Acting Chief Patrol Agent, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
Herrera-Cruz admitted as part of his guilty plea that he is a citizen of Mexico, and that he was removed from the United States to Mexico on April 10, 2018 and again on Oct. 28, 2018. On each occasion, Herrera-Cruz had been arrested by immigration authorities along the southwest border after he entered the United States without inspection from Mexico. On Feb. 24, 2019, he was encountered and arrested by a Border Patrol Agent as part of a group of five individuals who had illegally entered the United States from Canada by walking across the border approximately 4 miles east of the Fort Covington Port of Entry, thereby avoiding immigration and customs inspection. A fingerprint check of Herrera-Cruz resulted in the discovery of the prior removals. Herrera-Cruz admitted that he returned to the United States without permission following the 2018 removals.
As a result of his conviction, Herrera-Cruz faces up to 2 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby on August 7, 2019. 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.
This case was investigated by Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
