GREENVILLE — A 51-year-old Honduran citizen was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after being convicted of illegally reentering the United States following two previous deportations, federal officials said.
Fredis Ramos-Serrano, also known as Carlos Roberta Galvez-Jovel, was sentenced Tuesday by Chief U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown.
Ramos-Serrano was arrested by the Blue Mountain Police Department, where officers determined he was in the country without legal status, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Officials said Ramos-Serrano had previously been convicted under an alias in federal court in north Mississippi for his role in a methamphetamine conspiracy in 2003. He also had multiple other federal felony convictions, including a previous conviction for illegal reentry.
He had been deported to Honduras twice following his federal convictions and never applied for permission to lawfully reenter the United States, officials said.
Brown also sentenced Ramos-Serrano to one year of supervised release if he remains in the United States after completing his prison sentence.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed an immigration detainer on Ramos-Serrano, and officials said he is expected to be removed from the country again following the completion of his sentence.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary praised the cooperation between Homeland Security Investigations, the Blue Mountain Police Department and ICE.
HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright said the sentence reflected the seriousness of repeated immigration violations, particularly when accompanied by felony criminal conduct.
Blue Mountain Police Chief Chris Joshlin said his department’s responsibility is to protect everyone in the community and that its priority is public safety and treating all people fairly and with dignity and respect.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Herzog Jr. prosecuted the case.
