Castaneda-Garcia Sentenced on Illegal Reentry Charge

Lynchburg, VIRGINIA – A Mexican national, Adolfo Castaneda-Garcia, 45, has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States. This sentence comes after Castaneda-Garcia was removed from the U.S. on four separate occasions and returned without lawful permission.

Castaneda-Garcia’s criminal history includes encounters with immigration officials dating back to February 1996, when he was serving a state prison sentence for possession of a controlled substance in Denver, Colorado. After his release, he was removed to Mexico but returned at least four times over the next decade, encountering Border Patrol officers in Arizona, California, and Texas.

The defendant’s latest brush with law enforcement occurred on June 17, 2016, when he was arrested in Buena-Vista, Va., on state drug charges. He was later contacted by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, leading to his federal immigration charge.

Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day presented evidence of Castaneda-Garcia’s prior encounters with U.S. immigration authorities in court. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of illegally reentering the United States without obtaining express consent from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.

The sentencing was announced by Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle, who emphasized the serious nature of illegal reentry into the country. ‘The justice system will not tolerate repeated violations of our immigration laws,’ Mountcastle stated.

RELATED: Mexican Citizen Garcia Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry

RELATED: Repeat Offender Castaneda-Garcia Admits Illegal Re-Entry