Mexican National Sentenced for Immigration and Firearm Offenses

On February 22, 2018, Edwin Vergara-Cedillo, 32, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to a term of 18 months of imprisonment, Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. Vergara-Cedillo pled guilty on November 7, 2017 to two federal charges, illegal reentry after deportation and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Vergara-Cedillo was sentenced to 18 months on each count, to be served concurrently.

At his change of plea hearing in November, Vergara-Cedillo admitted that he was an illegal alien and that he had been previously deported to Mexico. He also admitted that he had unlawfully possessed a handgun and ammunition at the time of his arrest.

Vergara-Cedillo was arrested by O’Fallon, Illinois police on July 2, 2017 for violating an order of protection. Police found and seized a handgun and ammunition from the console of the car which Vergara-Cedillo was driving. Vergara-Cedillo has been continuously confined in federal custody since his arrest in July.

The investigation which resulted in Vergara-Cedillo’s arrest and conviction was conducted by the O’Fallon, Illinois Police Department and by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.