Hector Gabriel Magana Jeronimo, a 44-year-old citizen of El Salvador, pleaded guilty on Monday to the charge of illegal re-entry as an aggravated felon. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Steve Kurzdorfer, Buffalo Field Office Director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO).
According to court documents, Magana Jeronimo was previously removed from the United States in 2010 after being convicted multiple times in California for possession of a firearm by a felon. Authorities discovered that he had illegally returned to the country when he was arrested by Lloyd Town Police in Ulster County, New York, on December 15, 2024, for driving while intoxicated.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III commented on the case: “Magana Jeronimo is an illegal alien and felon, with a history of illegal gun possession, who has again been apprehended thanks to the work of the Lloyd Police and ICE. We cannot do this job alone and need the help of local law enforcement to remove these dangerous criminals who illegally entered our country and are being coddled by some elected officials who care more about their political agenda than the public they took an oath to defend.”
Steve Kurzdorfer added: “Jeronimo’s plea serves as a reminder that it is a federal crime to illegally reenter the United States after being ordered removed and deported. This flagrant disregard for our nation’s immigration law cannot go unpunished. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Buffalo commends our law enforcement partners in New York who do the right thing by turning illegal criminal aliens over to ICE for removal processing.”
Magana Jeronimo is scheduled for sentencing on December 16, 2025. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing will be determined by a judge according to relevant statutes, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The investigation was conducted by ICE-ERO. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case.
