I.C.E. News Release

March 23, 2010

Illegal alien sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison for illegal reentry

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A criminal alien, who had been previously deported three times, was sentenced in federal court on Monday to more than five years in prison for illegally reentering the United States as a convicted felon. This sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Crisantos Almazan-Ibenez, 36, was sentenced March 22 in the Western District of Kentucky to 69 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the U.S. after being previously deported as an aggravated felon.

Almazan-Ibenez pleaded guilty to illegally entering the United States without obtaining the required permission from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Records checks conducted by ICE revealed that Almazan-Ibenez had been previously deported on three occasions. He was last deported to Mexico in April 2004 after serving a prison sentence for a 1995 conviction for attempted second-degree murder. He was also convicted of trafficking in marijuana in 2000.

He will be deported again to Mexico after he completes his five years and nine months prison sentence for illegal reentry. Reentering the United States after being formally deported is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

"ICE will not tolerate those who show a blatant disregard for our nation's immigration laws," said Ricardo Wong, field office director of the ICE Office of Detention and Removal Operations in Chicago. "This significant prison sentence sends a strong message of deterrence to criminal aliens who think they can treat our borders like a revolving door."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ream, Western District of Kentucky, prosecuted this case.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE comprises four integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

Last Modified: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1003/100323louisville.htm