Nelson S.T. Thayer Jr. Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania | Penn Carey Law School
United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the sentencing of four foreign nationals who were convicted of illegally reentering the United States after previous deportations. The sentences were handed down in separate cases this week.
Eric Gonzalez, also known as Jefferson Alexander Huertas Cajamarca, a 44-year-old Colombian national, received a sentence of 12 months and one day from United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez. Following his prison term, Gonzalez will be deported again. He was previously deported in February 2008 after a robbery conviction in New Jersey. In April 2024, Gonzalez was arrested by the Abington Township Police Department for theft-related offenses. After serving his state sentence, he was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in October and later charged with illegal reentry.
Eddy Rondon Salcedo, a 34-year-old Dominican national, was sentenced to time served—approximately five months—by United States District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg. He will be deported once more following his release. Rondon Salcedo entered the U.S. legally in September 2008 but pleaded guilty to drug charges in December 2019 and was subsequently deported in June 2021 after serving his sentence. He was found back in Philadelphia last December and charged with illegal reentry earlier this year.
Wilmer Yovani Fuentes-Benitez, a Honduran national aged 34, received a sentence of time served—about four months—from Judge Goldberg for illegal reentry after multiple prior deportations. Fuentes-Benitez had been removed from the U.S. three times before due to various arrests related to assault and smuggling operations. ICE took him into custody again this February after confirming his unlawful presence.
Ronal Hilario Morantin-Mota, also known as Jose Flores Davila, a 39-year-old Dominican national, was sentenced to time served—approximately three months—by United States District Court Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro for illegal reentry. Morantin-Mota had been deported in September 2019 following an arrest on drug charges earlier that year but returned unlawfully before being apprehended by ICE officers this February.
The investigations were conducted by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell, Shayna Gannone, and S. Chandler Harris.
