Felon Apprehended by Border Patrol Sentenced to Prison

Tuscon, Ariz. – A 41-year-old man from San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, apprehended by Casa Grande, Ariz. Border Patrol agents in February, was sentenced in July to 33 months of confinement.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted Felipe De Jesus Gonzalez-Rocha after his apprehension for attempting to illegally re-enter the United States as an aggravated felon after deportation. During processing in February, agents using the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System learned Gonzalez-Rocha was convicted for felony robbery in 2009, out of Santa Cruz County, Ariz., and sentenced to three years in prison.

Following the Border Patrol’s initial processing, the case was submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution. Gonzalez-Rocha will be formally removed from the U.S. following his 33-month incarceration and is now banned for life from any legalization process.

All illegal immigrants apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks. This vital tool accesses criminal records throughout the United States, enabling agents to quickly identify violent criminals and wanted persons.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.