Mexican National Deported 13 Times Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Violating Supervised Release

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced this week that ALBERTO SILVA-GARCIA, 44, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 18 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a conviction for illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.  The sentence will run consecutively to a 42-month prison term that Silva-Garcia is currently serving.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Silva-Garcia was deported from the U.S. to his native Mexico in March 1999 after sustaining a domestic violence conviction in California.  Between March 1999 and April 2004, Silva-Garcia was encountered multiple times in California by immigration agents, twice while in custody following his apprehension and conviction for controlled substance violations, and on several other occasions following his apprehension at the U.S. border for falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.  On 11 documented occasions prior to 2005, Silva-Garcia was removed to Mexico by foot.

In August 2009, Silva-Garcia was arrested for motor vehicle offenses in Norwalk.  He was subsequently charged with illegal reentry in U.S. District Court in Connecticut and was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment.  In December 2010, Silva-Garcia was again removed to Mexico.

Silva-Garcia again illegally reentered the U.S. and, in March 2015, was charged with larceny and burglary offenses in superior court in Norwalk.  The charges stemmed from a crime spree involving the theft of construction tools and equipment from job sites and parked construction vehicles.  He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years of incarceration.

In January 2017, again Silva-Garcia pleaded guilty in federal court to illegal reentry.  On April 25, 2017, Judge Meyer sentenced him to 15 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.

On December 13, 2017, Silva-Garcia was deported to Mexico.  On September 1, 2018, he was apprehended as he attempted to reenter the U.S. by scaling a fence at the border of Mexico and California.

Silva-Garcia pleaded guilty in the Southern District of California to attempted reentry of a removed alien, and was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.

Judge Meyer ordered Silva-Garcia to begin serving his 18-month prison term after he completes his 42-month sentence for his more recent illegal reentry conviction.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.