Repeat Offender Perez-Diaz Faces Federal Re-Entry Charges

ERIE, Pa. – Alejandro Perez-Diaz, 30, a former resident of Chiapas, Mexico, is facing federal charges for a brazen violation of U.S. immigration law. A federal grand jury in Erie handed down the indictment, alleging Perez-Diaz knowingly re-entered the country illegally after being explicitly ordered deported.

According to court documents, Perez-Diaz was initially found to be unlawfully present in the United States on April 22, 2013. This wasn’t his first run-in with the law. He’d been slapped with a deportation order back on March 18, 2010, and physically removed from the country on August 20, 2012. Despite the clear directive, he returned, operating within the U.S. without authorization from the Department of Homeland Security.

The indictment carries a potential sentence of up to 2 years behind bars, a hefty fine of $250,000, or a combination of both. However, the actual punishment will hinge on the severity of the offense as assessed by the court, and, crucially, any prior criminal history Perez-Diaz may have. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines are rarely kind to repeat offenders.

Assistant United States Attorney Christine A. Sanner is spearheading the prosecution, building the government’s case against Perez-Diaz. She’ll be tasked with proving his intentional disregard for U.S. immigration laws. This isn’t simply a paperwork issue; it’s a direct challenge to border security and the enforcement of federal regulations.

The investigation leading to these charges was a joint effort between the Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. These agencies worked to identify, locate, and ultimately indict Perez-Diaz, demonstrating a coordinated approach to enforcing immigration laws in the region. They aren’t messing around.

It’s critical to remember that an indictment is not a conviction. Perez-Diaz is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. He will have the opportunity to present a defense and challenge the government’s evidence. But the charges stand as a stark reminder that illegally re-entering the United States carries serious consequences.