Manuel Rodriguez-Mendoza, Illegal Reentry of an Aggravated Felon, North Carolina 2020

Raleigh, N.C. - In a shocking case of repeated criminal behavior, Manuel Rodriguez-Mendoza, 41, of Mexico, illegally present in the United States and residing in Wake County, North Carolina, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and an additional 18 months in federal prison for violating his supervised release.

Rodriguez-Mendoza's troubles with the law began in 2006, when he was convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, an aggravated felony, on March 3, 2006, in the Middle District of North Carolina. He was subsequently deported from the United States on April 28, 2006, at Brownsville, Texas.

However, Rodriguez-Mendoza's troubles were far from over. While on federal supervised release, he was arrested by the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on February 15, 2009, and charged with carrying a concealed weapon and assault with a deadly weapon. Rodriguez-Mendoza posted a $3,000 bond, was released and failed to appear in state court, making him a fugitive until his arrest on July 1, 2016, by the Wake County Sheriff's Office and charged with trafficking in cocaine, maintaining a dwelling to sell controlled substances and possession of a stolen firearm.

On May 20, 2020, Rodriguez-Mendoza pled guilty to one count of illegal reentry of an aggravated felon. U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III presided over the case and sentenced Rodriguez-Mendoza to 30 months in federal prison and an additional 18 months in federal prison for violating his supervised release. The case was investigated by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel Diaz.

Rodriguez-Mendoza's case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of violating U.S. immigration laws and the importance of adhering to federal supervised release conditions.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement of Rodriguez-Mendoza's sentencing. The case number is 5:19-cr-00198-FL.

Defendant: Manuel Rodriguez-Mendoza

Crime: Illegal Reentry of an Aggravated Felon

City and State: Raleigh, North Carolina

Date: May 20, 2020

Sentence: 30 months in federal prison and an additional 18 months in federal prison for violating his supervised release

Bond: $3,000

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/alien-sentenced-illegal-reentry-aggravated-felon-0