Mexican National Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison

HAMMOND - Julio Zarate-Ocegueda, 51 years old, of Mexico residing in Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to a felony reentry of removed alien, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.

Julio Zarate-Ocegueda, who has been detained since his arrest, was sentenced to 6 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, Zarate-Ocegueda was previously removed from the United States on two separate occasions, once in 2004 and again in 2005. His criminal history includes convictions for threatening a crime with intent to terrorize, battery, criminal threats (death), along with multiple driving related offenses.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Lake County Sheriff's Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Morgan.