BUFFALO — Thirty-eight-year-old Jose Manuel Salazar Estrada of Mexico was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after a conviction for an aggravated felony. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque, who is handling the case, stated that on Thursday, the defendant was encountered at the Peace Bridge port of entry after getting lost and turning around on the bridge before reaching Canada. When Estrada was initially questioned, the defendant claimed to be a citizen of the United States, born in Arizona. Standard record checks revealed that Estrada is a citizen of Mexico and had been deported from the United States on five prior occasions. The most recent deportation occurred in 2015 after the defendant was convicted in Arizona of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit, an aggravated felony, and banned from entering the United States for life.
The defendant made an initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is being detained pending trial.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by United States Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Hilmey.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
from US Dept. of Justice via IFTTT
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