Jesus Patino-Lopez Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-Entry

Jesus Patino-Lopez, 31, of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, stood before a federal judge in Florence and admitted he illegally re-entered the United States—a crime that carries up to two years behind bars. The Mexican national, previously deported twice, made his plea on charges filed under Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), marking the latest crack-down on repeat immigration violations in the Palmetto State.

On June 23, 2017, federal agents caught Patino-Lopez while he was already in custody at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Charleston, SC, facing unrelated local charges. ICE–Enforcement and Removal Operations officers quickly moved in after a background check confirmed his status: a foreign national with no legal right to be in the country. Records showed he had been formally removed to Mexico in 2009—twice—and never obtained permission to return.

Magistrate Judge Thomas E. Rogers, III, accepted the guilty plea in Florence federal court, where evidence was presented detailing Patino-Lopez’s criminal immigration history. Despite being ordered out of the U.S. on multiple occasions, he slipped back across the border undetected—until now. His case was processed under federal jurisdiction due to the nature of the violation, highlighting the ongoing federal push to prosecute repeat offenders regardless of where they’re apprehended.

The investigation was led by ICE–ERO agents in coordination with the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, a growing partnership responsible for identifying and detaining undocumented individuals involved in criminal activity. The collaboration has intensified in recent years as federal prosecutors prioritize immigration enforcement in local jails and detention centers across South Carolina.

Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Hummel, of the Florence office, prosecuted the case. She will now await the U.S. Probation Office’s presentence report before sentencing, which will be handed down by United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., in Spartanburg. Patino-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 2 years in federal prison, though sentencing guidelines may influence the final term.

U.S. Attorney Beth Drake reaffirmed the Department of Justice’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws, especially when individuals repeatedly defy federal removal orders. “This case sends a clear message,” Drake stated. “Illegally re-entering the United States after deportation is a federal felony, and we will prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law.”