Illegal Alien with Multiple Federal Convictions Sentenced for Another Illegal Re-Entry into the U.S.

GREENVILLE, MS- Fredis Ramos-Serrano, a.k.a. Carlos Roberta Galvez-Jovel, 51, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced today in federal court to 57 months in prison following his conviction for illegal reentry into the United States.

Following his arrest by the Blue Mountain Police Department, officers learned that Ramos-Serrano was an illegal alien with no status to be in the United States. He had previously been convicted, under an alias, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of 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.

Ramos-Serrano has previously been deported from the United States back to Honduras on two separate occasions following his federal convictions. He has never applied for permission to reenter the United States lawfully.

Chief District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Ramos-Serrano to 57 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release in the event that he remains in the country. However, officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement have placed an immigration detainer on the defendant, which will result, again, in his removal from the United States following the conclusion of his federal sentence.

U.S. Attorney Scott Leary stated, "This prosecution resulted from yet another arrest by our hardworking and diligent agents at Homeland Security Investigations. For years, our border was opened and allowed illegal narcotics and criminal aliens to flood into our nation. Illegal aliens who destroy our families, small towns, and communities by distributing meth, and other poisons, will never be tolerated in this district. Blue Mountain Police Department and ICE, through their 287(g) program, shows the power of those partnerships to apprehend criminal aliens that live in our communities and keep our citizens safe. We appreciate their role in this partnership. It is a model for others in this state."

"HSI is committed to identifying and removing individuals who unlawfully reenter the United States after removal and continue to violate our laws," said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright. "This sentence reflects the seriousness of repeated immigration violations, particularly when accompanied by felony criminal conduct. When we combine vital partnerships with 287(g) partner Blue Mountain Police Department and other local law enforcement, we create more secure communities in Mississippi and across the U.S."

Blue Mountain Police Chief Chris Joshlin said, "At the Blue Mountain Police Department, our responsibility is to protect and serve everyone in our community. We will continue doing everything within our authority to keep the Town of Blue Mountain safe, regardless of a person's background, nationality or immigration status. Our priority is public safety and treating every person we encounter with fairness, dignity, and respect."

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Herzog Jr. prosecuted the case.