Aggravated Felon Sentenced to 27 Months

Jamaican national Falsely Claimed to be a U.S. Citizen

Yuma Ariz. — An aggravated felon arrested by Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents in October 2011 was sentenced last week to 27 months in prison and three years supervised release after pleading guilty to falsely claiming U.S. citizenship and illegally re-entering the U.S. after removal.

Seven months ago, a Border Patrol canine team alerted to a vehicle driven by Andre Mark Walters at a checkpoint on Interstate 10. Blythe Border Patrol agents conducted a secondary inspection and discovered $77,745 in cash hidden inside a speaker box in the vehicle’s trunk. Walters, a citizen of Jamaica, presented an Illinois driver’s license not belonging to him and falsely identified himself as a United States citizen.

Agents uncovered Walters’ true identity and prior convictions for drug possession, delivery and possession of drug paraphernalia, and conspiracy to distribute drugs. In 2004, he was convicted and sentenced to 27 months imprisonment; five years supervised release; and was deported from the U.S. When confronted with this evidence, Walters admitted illegally re-entering the U.S. by boat near Miami in 2008.

All individuals apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). This vital tool accesses criminal records throughout the United States, enabling agents to quickly identify criminals and wanted persons. IAFIS ensures individuals are brought to an appropriate law enforcement resolution and penalties are upheld to the fullest extent of the law.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.