Eric Armando Vega-Covarrubias, Reentry of a Removed Alien, West Virginia 2023

Grimy Times Exclusive

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mexican national man was sentenced for reentering the United States after being previously deported twice, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Eric Armando Vega-Covarrubias, 38, was immediately sentenced to a ‘time served’ sentence, having served nearly four months in federal custody.

According to the evidence presented, Vega-Covarrubias had two prior removals from two different states, one in 2012 from Atlanta, Georgia and in 2016 from Williston, North Dakota. In both cases, Vega-Covarrubias was found by immigration judges to be in the United States illegally and he was deported to Mexico.

On March 25, 2019, Vega-Covarrubias was found in South Charleston, West Virginia by members of ICE who were conducting a field operation. ICE agents identified defendant get in a car and begin to drive away. The agents stopped the car. When defendant was stopped in his vehicle, he gave ICE agents a Mexican voter card and admitted being in the United States illegally.

Vega-Covarrubias was arrested and ICE agents matched his fingerprints to previous removals from the United States. ICE agents spoke to defendant to confirm his identity. Vega-Covarrubias again admitted being in the United States illegally. Vega-Covarrubias had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.

“Vega-Covarrubias had two prior removals from two different states,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Let’s hope he doesn’t illegally reenter our country a fourth time.”

United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution.

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