FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
VLADIMIR LORENZANO-IRRA 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 October 23, 2007, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn S. Ostby, VLADIMIR LORENZANO-IRRA, a 28-year-old citizen of Mexico, pled guilty to illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien. A sentencing date will be set later. 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 September 6, 2007, LORENZANA-IRRA was encountered by a Montana Highway Patrol trooper during a traffic stop in Yellowstone County. The trooper became suspicious and contacted the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for assistance. An ICE agent spoke with LORENZANA-IRRA and determined that he was a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally.
A fingerprint analysis identified LORENZANA-IRRA as having been previously deported from the United States on September 8, 2006, through San Ysidro, California.
A further review of immigration records revealed that LORENZANA-IRRA 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 being deported.
LORENZANO-IRRA 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.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
