A Mexican man who turned himself in to federal agents in Riverside County and sought deportation in response to ongoing anti-immigration crackdowns allegedly had an ulterior motive: turning the government against itself.
like It was first detailed by court clock Seamus HughesGiovanni Espinosa Norzagaray was facing charges of distributing methamphetamine and indicated that he pleaded guilty once he took a trip to see his grandmother.
When Norzagaray was in Indio to see his grandmother, he “also attempted to turn himself in at the Border Patrol station in Indio,” Indio prosecutors said. a movement.
Despite claims by Norzagaray’s attorney that he “traveled to a Border Patrol station to ask what would happen to his immigration status after the conclusion of his criminal case,” prosecutors said they had evidence that he was trying to be deported before he was convicted on drug charges.
“The defendant intentionally had himself arrested by Border Patrol agents, showed up with only U.S. and Mexican currency, lied to Border Patrol agents and claimed he had never been arrested, and even attempted to expedite his deportation by requesting to participate in an expedited deportation program,” prosecutors wrote.
The scheme was uncovered when Norzagaray did not show up for his plea change hearing last month.
As a result, the judge issued an arrest warrant, resulting in his transfer from immigration custody to Department of Justice custody.
“The evidentiary record developed reveals that the defendant attempted to evade prosecution through deportation,” prosecutors said. “The defendant’s gambit failed.”