OHIO — A federal grand jury in Columbus indicted four people on immigration-related charges this week, with some of the defendants previously convicted of drug trafficking, firearms offences, and human smuggling.
Juan Carlos Garcia-Vasquez, 45, a Mexican national, was charged with illegally reentering the United States.
Court records show that he was previously convicted of cocaine trafficking in Franklin County.
Ricardo Martinez-Nunez, 29, a Mexican national, is facing charges of illegal reentry.
His previous Franklin County convictions included improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle and driving under the influence.
Lino Mendiola-Vanegas, 45, has been charged with illegally reentering the country. His criminal record includes convictions for cocaine trafficking and forgery in Franklin County.
Adalberto Calixto Tolentino, 21, is also accused of transporting four illegal aliens across the United States for financial gain.
Authorities claim that on January 23, the Licking County Sheriff’s Office received a tip from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in Southern Arizona about a Toyota Highlander suspected of human smuggling.
Sheriff’s deputies stopped Tolentino in Licking County and discovered four people inside the vehicle, as well as an envelope containing $8,000 cash.
One passenger allegedly told law enforcement that he paid $10,000 to be smuggled from Mexico into the United States.
According to authorities, Tolentino picked him up in the Arizona desert and transported him further into the country.
Tolentino was arrested on January 24 and has been in federal custody since. If convicted, he could face up to ten years in prison.
Illegal reentry into the United States is punishable by up to two years in prison, with repeat offenders and those with aggravated felony convictions facing up to twenty years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, along with ICE and Department of Homeland Security officials, announced the indictments.
Kenneth F. Affeldt and Tyler J. Aagard, both Assistant United States Attorneys, are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are being handled by the Southern District of Ohio Immigration Enforcement Task Force, which investigates and prosecutes immigration violations.
An indictment is a formal accusation of a crime, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty at trial.
