Belizean Man Convicted of Illegal Re-Entry After Deportation

LAREDO, Texas – A federal jury in Laredo has convicted Jerome Aristedes Martinez of Belize City, Belize, a 46-year-old man claiming to be a U.S. citizen, for attempting illegal re-entry into the United States after his second deportation. The conviction comes after a two-day trial where the jury found Martinez guilty of this serious crime.

Martinez, who was caught trying to enter through the Lincoln Juarez Bridge on Aug. 18, 2015, presented an Illinois Identification card and a Department of Homeland Security/Social Security Administration web-site print-out as proof of his citizenship. However, authorities swiftly discovered that he was not a U.S. citizen but a native of Belize who had been removed from the United States twice before.

Despite having been previously convicted for illegal re-entry after falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, Martinez tried to argue that he had become aware of his birth in the U.S. Virgin Islands and therefore was eligible to return. The jury, however, heard evidence showing no record of his birth in the U.S. Virgin Islands and that his only recognized birth record is from Belize. Government documents also confirmed his previous statements acknowledging his Belizean citizenship.

The trial was presided over by U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo. Sentencing has been set for June 5, 2017, where Martinez faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He remains in custody pending the hearing.

Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah M. Ellison and Giselle S. Guerra are handling the prosecution of Jerome Aristedes Martinez for his illegal re-entry offense.