Illegals Imprisoned For Drugs, Other Charges
By CASEY KNAUPP
Staff Writer
Aug 2, 2007

Five illegal immigrants were sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for drug charges, producing false documents and returning to the United States after deportation.

Sacramento Silva-Alvarez, also known as Ricardo Alvarez-Silva, was sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute 29.3 grams of methamphetamine on Aug. 13 in Smith County and for illegally possessing a rifle and pistol during a drug-trafficking crime.

He was also charged with possessing the firearms while being an illegal alien.

U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis sentenced the defendant to four years and nine months for the drug charge and five years for the gun charge. He will serve the sentences consecutively. The judge also recommended that he undergo drug treatment while in prison.

Fernando Vargas, also known as Jose Garcia Sanchez, 33, Bullard, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for conspiracy to produce false identification documents.

Vargas was indicted on 29 charges, along with Saul Zamora Munoz, also known as "El Tio," 33, of Bullard, and Raul Martinez Rivera, 44, a transient. They were charged with transferring and producing false identification documents, including a Texas driver's license, a U.S. resident alien card and a Social Security card, according to court records.

He was represented by defense attorney Darren Grant while Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Middleton is prosecuting the case.

Munoz has also pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to 15 months in prison, while the indictment against Rivera was dismissed.

Juan Ramirez-Suarez, also known as Jose Roberto Olguin-San Augustine, 29, was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison for being an illegal alien found in Van Zandt County on Dec. 21. He was deported Dec. 13, 2005, after being convicted of selling cocaine in Georgia.

Defense attorney Darren Grant said his client is facing additional prison time for violating his supervised release in Georgia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst prosecuted the case.

David Perez-Julian, 45, Smith County, was sentenced to two years in prison for being an illegal alien found in Smith County on Aug. 21 after deportation. Also known as Toribio Ruiz, the defendant has been convicted of an aggravated felony in South Texas and was deported in 2004 to Mexico. On Aug. 30, 2005, Perez-Julian was arrested by Tyler police on a 1999 forgery charge out of Smith County and in August 2006 he was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

He was defended by Steven Green, while Hurst prosecuted the case.

Jose A. Perez, 22, of Longview, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for being found illegally in Gregg County after he was deported.

Perez was sent to prison in 2003 for possessing and distributing meth. He was deported in 2004 but came back into the country and was arrested on Oct. 1 in Gregg County for possessing a controlled substance, fleeing from a police officer and failure to identify himself or giving false information to police.

He was represented by U.S. Public Defender Ken Hawk while Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Moore prosecuted the case.

Judge Davis ordered all five defendants to report to immigration officials for deportation proceedings after they are released from prison. All of the men used Spanish-speaking interpreters in court on Wednesday.

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