Jorge Humberto Olais Solano, a 40-year-old citizen of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 29 for allegedly illegally reentering the United States after being removed three times, according to an April 30 announcement from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The indictment alleges that Olais Solano was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on March 23 after his most recent removal from Del Rio, Texas, on April 26, 2017. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Evelyn M. Stoner and investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established under Executive Order 14159 to address criminal cartels and human trafficking organizations operating within the United States. According to the press release: “Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations… The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.” The task force includes agents from Homeland Security with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for this district.
The maximum penalty for illegal reentry under federal law is twenty years imprisonment along with supervised release and a fine if convicted. Sentencing will be determined by a judge considering federal statutes and guidelines. It was also noted that indictments are only allegations at this stage; all persons charged are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania handles prosecutions of federal crimes as well as civil litigation on behalf of the government according to its official website. The office serves about 3.2 million residents across a jurisdiction covering approximately 21,907 square miles including Harrisburg, Scranton, Williamsport and Wilkes-Barre according to its official website. In addition to prosecutions it provides victim assistance programs and supports community safety through initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods according to its official website.
