FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 10, 2007
JESUS CERON-GONZALEZ PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings on September 10, 2007, before U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, JESUS CERON-GONZALEZ, age 27, pled guilty to re-entry of a previously deported alien. Sentencing is set for October 26, 2007. He is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On July 7, 2007, CERON-GONZALEZ was stopped for speeding by the Montana Highway Patrol near Roundup. He was cited for speeding, having no vehicle insurance, and was using a false name. Because CERON-GONZALEZ had a limited ability to converse in English, an agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted.
CERON-GONZALEZ was fingerprinted and thereby identified through immigration records as having been previously deported from the United States on December 14, 2006, through El Paso, Texas.
Further investigation revealed that CERON-GONZALEZ did not have the consent of the Attorney General or his successor, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, to re-enter the United States after having been deported.
CERON-GONZALEZ faces possible penalties of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Montana Highway Patrol and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
