Grand jury has indicted multiple defendants for immigration violations

SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants have been indicted by the November term of the federal Grand Jury in the Southern District of Georgia for Re-entry after Removal or Deportation, a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal.

Margaret E. "Meg" Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced the indictments. Those facing federal charges include:

• Ruben Canos-Bences, 47, a citizen of Mexico, illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Glynn County.
• Evelio Gomez-Mateo, a/k/a Alexander Gomez, 45, a citizen of Guatemala, illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Effingham County.
• Roger Hernandez-Perez, 32, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Effingham County.
• Hilario Jimenez-Jimenez, 27, a citizen of Guatemala illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Coffee County.
• Alexis Yahir Itehua-Salas, 24, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., apprehended in Richmond County.

Reentry after Removal or Deportation charges carry statutory penalties of up to two years in prison, followed by referral to immigration authorities for deportation. If a defendant's removal is subsequent to a felony or aggravated felony, statutory penalties can be significantly more severe.

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

These cases are being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and local law enforcement agencies and are being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia C. Brame, Bradley R. Thompson, and Joshua Kyle Davis.