Source: Office of United States Attorneys
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A previously convicted sex offender was arrested and charged federally with illegally reentering the United States.
Carlos Gonzales Hernandez, 55, of El Salvador, is scheduled to appear in federal court in Columbus today.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, in August 2017, Gonzales Hernandez was convicted in Franklin County for three felony counts of gross sexual imposition and sentenced to six years in prison.
In September 2022, Gonzales Hernandez was physically removed based on a final immigration order.
On Jan. 2, Madison County sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on Gonzales Hernandez for traffic violations and he was subsequently arrested and placed in the Tri-County Regional Jail in Mechanicsburg. Gonzales Hernandez was then taken into federal custody and charged with illegally reentering the United States, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. If his prior conviction is determined to be an aggravated felony, the penalty could increase to up to 20 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Robert Lynch, Special Agent in Charge, ERO Detroit Field Office; announced the charge. Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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