A 55-year-old previously convicted sex offender has been taken into federal custody for allegedly reentering the United States unlawfully. Carlos Gonzales Hernandez, originally from El Salvador, faced a judge in federal court in Columbus, according to an announcement by Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director for the ERO Detroit Field Office.
Law enforcement apprehended Gonzales Hernandez after a routine traffic stop by Madison County sheriff’s deputies on Jan. 2 revealed his questionable legal status. He was reported to quickly have been transferred to the Tri-County Regional Jail in Mechanicsburg. The case, presently before the courts, could see Gonzales Hernandez facing up to 10 years in prison for the reentry charge or potentially up to 20 years if his prior offenses are classified as aggravated felonies, as detailed in a U.S. Department of Justice release.
The background check conducted during the traffic stop connected him to a 2017 conviction for three felony counts of gross sexual imposition in Franklin County. Following his sentence, Gonzales Hernandez served time until his removal from the U.S. in September 2022 under a final immigration order. The current charges suggest that his return to the States was unauthorized and violated that order.
Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty is set to represent the government in this ongoing prosecution. While the details surrounding his alleged reentry remain clarified, the U.S. Attorney's office has emphasized that a criminal complaint is not a definitive indication of guilt. Defendants like Gonzales Hernandez are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The court proceedings will aim to thoroughly inspect the situation and bring justice to the fore in this complex case of reentry following deportation.
