Two Mexican nationals, Juan Carlos Verdin-Covarrubias, 41, and Uriel Lira-Cabrera, 44, appeared in a Las Vegas court on Thursday to face charges of illegal reentry into the U.S. after being deported. Both men were charged with one count of "deported alien found in the United States." Their preliminary hearings are scheduled for April 3, with U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe presiding, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Verdin-Covarrubias and Lira-Cabrera, both previously deported, re-entered the U.S. illegally. Verdin-Covarrubias was handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last Wednesday, after being deported on April 21, 2006, following a conviction for drug offenses. He was later sentenced to 36 to 96 months in prison for additional drug convictions on February 16, 2022. Lira-Cabrera was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 5, after being deported multiple times between February 2007 and November 2021. He had a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon and two felony convictions for illegal reentry in Arizona and Nevada, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Verdin-Covarrubias and Lira-Cabrera are facing charges for illegal reentry. If convicted, they could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, a three-year supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. The charges were announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke, with the case overseen by ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office. The public is reminded that a complaint is an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Information can be reported to 866-DHS-2-ICE or through an online tip form, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
