A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama has indicted twelve individuals for illegal reentry after deportation and three for being an alien in possession of a firearm. The indictments are part of efforts to address immigration-related offenses in the region.
"Ensuring the safety of our communities is our highest priority," stated U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. She highlighted that these charges result from collaboration between her office and various law enforcement agencies at federal, state, and local levels to investigate and prosecute illegal aliens involved in criminal activities.
Steven N. Schrank, special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta, which oversees Georgia and Alabama, emphasized the importance of enforcing immigration laws for national security and public safety. "We will continue to use all the available resources to ensure that those who break our laws are held accountable," he said.
The individuals charged with illegally reentering the United States include Glendi Martinez-Lopez from Honduras; Anabel Cebreros, Javier Francisco Ricalde-Santos, Gustavo Neri-Soto, Gerardo Rivera-Rodriguez, Leonardo Ayala-Mejia, Francisco Bernabe-Vera, Carlos Crisostomo-Garcia, Jesus Alberto Ortega-Suarez from Mexico; and Jose Arevalo-Carballo from El Salvador.
Additionally, Jose Miguel Martinez-Gonzalez from Mexico and Isaias Ramirez-Oliva from Honduras face charges related to firearm possession as aliens.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Northern District of Alabama also provide ongoing training for attorneys and law enforcement personnel to enhance their capabilities in handling immigration cases federally.
It is important to note that an indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.