Ali M. Summers Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois
A federal grand jury has indicted nine individuals for immigration-related offenses in southern Illinois, specifically in Effingham, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair counties, over the past two months.
U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft emphasized the severity of these offenses, stating, "Every time an illegal immigrant unlawfully enters the United States, they commit a federal crime. But eight of these individuals are repeat offenders—often deported after earlier crimes, only to reenter and face new charges." He added, "The only person who wasn’t a prior offender was indicted for a firearms offense. These charges show our commitment to prioritizing repeat offenders and those who threaten public safety."
The accused include Josue Lopez-Serrano, 35, from Mexico, charged in Monroe County for illegal reentry after deportation; Angel Carmona-Perez, 44, from Mexico, for the same offense in Madison County; and Gaspar Lux-Lopez, 30, from Guatemala, also charged in Madison County. Luis Morocho-Minga, 42, from Ecuador, faces a charge in St. Clair County for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, while Pedro Ramos-Garcia, 36, from Guatemala, is charged in Effingham County for illegal reentry after deportation. Andres Jimenez-Santiago, 26, and Jose Ariza-Angula, 37, both from Mexico, and Erick Roman-Roman, 49, also from Mexico, are facing charges of illegal reentry in St. Clair County. Mayorie Fernandez-Ormeno, 44, from Chile, faces charges in Madison County, including conspiracy to commit access device fraud, among other offenses.
The federal legal process presumes all defendants innocent until proven guilty. In a related matter, a jury in southern Illinois convicted an individual from India in February for involvement in a scam targeting elderly victims, with sentencing set for May 29.
The investigations are spearheaded by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Kapsak, Madalyn Campbell, and Kathleen Howard managing prosecutions. These cases form part of Operation Take Back America, a federal effort aiming to curb illegal immigration and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
