Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican national was sentenced to “time served” (178 days or about 6 months) in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release for unlawful reentry by an alien deported or removed after conviction of a felony, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Chief Patrol Agent Jason E. Schneider of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and Special Agent in Charge David L. Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.

Francisco Alvarado-Zacarias, 49, of Mexico, pleaded guilty and was convicted of the crime on December 15, 2021, before U.S. District Court Judge Taylor B. McNeel.  Alvarado-Zacarias is also subject to Department of Homeland Security proceedings to remove him again from the United States.

According to court documents, Alvarado-Zacarias was arrested on October 12, 2021, on Interstate 10 in Harrison County.  The U.S. Border Patrol conducted a vehicle stop on a white Ford panel van with a Texas license plate based on a Border Patrol “Be on the Lookout” (BOLO) Alert.  Three passengers fled the van on foot, including the defendant in this case, Francisco Alvarado-Zacarias.  A Supervisory Agent had arrived to assist, and two of the three fleeing passengers were apprehended.  One of the three was not apprehended and remains at-large.  Inspection of the van revealed two aftermarket bench seats were placed in rear of the van.  The bench seats each seated three passengers, however, there were no seatbelts available for passengers in the bench seats.  All vehicle occupants (except for the one who escaped) were transported to the Gulfport Border Patrol Station for processing.

One of the passengers was identified as Francisco Alvarado-Zacarias. Agents confirmed that Alvarado-Zacarias is a citizen of Mexico who was previously ordered removed from the U.S. on multiple occasions, including in 1992, 2006, 2007, and 2020.  Agents also confirmed through official records that Alvarado-Zacarias had been convicted in 2005 in the District Court for the First Judicial District of Wyoming, for the felony offense of conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine.  He had been sentenced to a term of not less than 22 months and not more than 36 months in the custody of the Wyoming Department of Corrections.  After his release from prison, Alvarado-Zacarias had been removed from the United States.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.