Thread: Judge berates government while sentencing illegal resident

By Ric Latarski
Senior Staff Writer
ric.latarski@rockdalecitizen.com

CONYERS — An illegal resident who has been sentenced to serve 10 years in prison for dealing drugs,heard a colloquy from the court about why his presence was an affront to the residents of the United States.
Chief Superior Court Judge Sidney Nation sentenced Carlos Enrique Gomez Maldonado to serve 10 years in prison on a charge of trafficking methamphetamine.

Maldonado, 28, was also ordered to pay the mandated $200,000 fine, but the judge acknowledged it was unlikely any of that money would ever be seen.

“This is a shining example of the failure of the federal government to do its job and enforce the law,” Nation said. “We have someone who has no respect for our laws, comes here illegally to sell poison to our children, and now the taxpayers will have to pay to house him.”

Through an interpreter, Maldonado admitted to having been in the United States “three or four months,” and defense attorney Steve Purvis advised the court his client has no intention of returning to the country after being deported.

While Maldonado will face deportation, that did not lessen Nation’s frustration at having to sentence yet another illegal resident.

“I don’t know how long he will stay in jail or even if he will be deported,” Nation said. “I have no confidence at all in the federal government to do its job, because the evidence so far is that they haven’t.”

The judge said the continued failure of the federal government to address the ever-increasing number of illegal residents was a disgrace and the public is the ultimate victim.

“This problem exists because of the absolute failure of the federal government to enforce the law,” he said. “We have people in Washington who are traitors to the rule of law and are doing a disservice to the citizens of the United States by ignoring their responsibility. We have young men and women fighting and dying to prevent our country from being invaded, yet our politicians are allowing the country to fail from within.”

Maldonado, along with codefendant Mora Jesus Medrano, were arrested after being stopped for a traffic violation and 29.01 grams of methamphetamine were found in the vehicle.

Maldonado claimed ownership of the drugs and absolved Medrano, who is also an illegal resident and will face deportation although the drug trafficking charge against him was dropped.

Despite the fact the amount of methamphetamine was barely enough to be considered trafficking, Assistant District Attorney Kirk Thomas would not reduce the charge to a lesser offense.


http://www.rockdalecitizen.com/RC-Templ ... ews4.shtml

“This is a shining example of the failure of the federal government to do its job and enforce the law,” Nation said. “We have someone who has no respect for our laws, comes here illegally to sell poison to our children, and now the taxpayers will have to pay to house him.”

I like this judge. I hope we have allot more judges like this one out there. It would start to send the message that illegals won't be tolerated in court either.

We need more judges like this and more sheriffs like Sheriff Joe in Phoenix.. :P

Originally Posted by dot

We need more judges like this and more sheriffs like Sheriff Joe in Phoenix.. :P

Ditto!

“This is a shining example of the failure of the federal government to do its job and enforce the law,” Nation said. “We have someone who has no respect for our laws, comes here illegally to sell poison to our children, and now the taxpayers will have to pay to house him.”

And made it a nightmare for those with colds and allergies to get basic OTC meds in the "war on these drugs".

Sorry.....this is still such an issue with me. I went for a little trip with my husband. We were going to see a lawyer and my mind was on remembering all the papers I had to bring. Forgot the allergy meds. Dummy me. But normally I used to be able to say.....pull over to next Walgreens and let me get my allergy pills. Can't now. Already got my quota and it's at home. Since it's an OTC med.......I can't even get a 2 pill advance or something. Sorry.....ticks me off. Easier to go after people like me than to go after the criminal. Atleast here's one more off the streets.