CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery announced that 27-year-old Edgar Yovani Bonilla-Flores has been sentenced to federal prison following his conviction of illegal re-entry into the United States.
Edgar Yovani Bonilla-Flores pleaded guilty on June 17, and U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton ordered Bonilla-Flores to serve 16 months in federal prison on September 12.
Bonilla-Flores is expected to face removal back to El Salvador following his imprisonment.
"At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Bonilla-Flores had previously illegally entered the United States on April 8, 2014," said officials.
"Bonilla-Flores also engaged in criminal conduct that resulted in a conviction for the aggravated felony offense of third-degree sex offense in Montgomery County, Maryland," added officials.
According to a release from the United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas, the court heard during that case that he had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old female he met over social media.
Bonilla-Flores had also failed to register as a sex offender, and he was ordered to be removed from the United States on December 20, 2021.
Authorities then found Bonilla-Flores in Falfurrias on April 18, 2022.
"He was not in possession of any immigration documents nor had filed a petition to remain legally in the United States," said officials.
Bonilla-Flores admitted to being a citizen of El Salvador and said he entered the country illegally by crossing the Rio Grande River near Hidalgo on April 9, 2022.
Bonilla-Flores has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.