A Colombian man has entered a guilty plea to the charge of illegal reentry into the United States, as announced by the acting United States Attorney's Office. Fabian Lopez Mejia, 31, admitted to the charge before U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper, who has set Mejia's sentencing for October 22, 2024. This development follows an indictment by a federal grand jury in June 2024, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Previously deported in November 2019, Mejia found himself once again on American soil, where, in October 2023, having previously pleading guilty in Suffolk Superior Court to possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance and forgery/misuse of a Registry of Motor Vehicles document. The current federal charge carries the possibility of up to two years in prison, a year of supervised release, and a fine that may reach $250,000. These penalties fit within the bounds delineated by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The case against Mejia is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, the Field Office Director for the Boston U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations, disclosed this information.
The guidelines that will influence Mejia's sentencing take into account various statutory factors. Having been removed from the U.S. once already, Mejia's return presented a direct violation of immigration law, one that carries significant consequences on a person's freedom and future. Sentences in such cases are determined by a federal district court judge, with adjustments made in accordance with the legal framework set forth by the federal government.
