Man deported six times gets prison for returning again

GULFPORT -- A Mexican national removed from the United States six times and later found in Gautier has been sentenced to seven years in a federal prison.

But Ramon Benitez-Mendoza's first name isn't Ramon. It's Aloin, and he's used at least 14 aliases and has felony convictions across the U.S. in between his removal proceedings, court records show.

Chief U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr., speaking to him through an interpreter Monday, sentenced him for illegal re-entry into the U.S. Guirola ordered him turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after his prison term is served.

Benitez-Mendoza told the court his real first name is Aloin when he pleaded guilty Sept. 29.

Gautier police had arrested him Jan. 30, for disorderly conduct and failure to comply with a law enforcement order. He called himself Ramon, and was convicted two months later.

While he was held at the Jackson County jail, an ICE deportation officer questioned his citizenship. His fingerprints matched those of Ramon Benitez-Mendoza, recently deported, in an immigrations database.

He has been held for ICE at the Pearl River County jail while awaiting resolution of his latest federal charge.

The deportation officer's affidavit lists Benitez-Mondoza's criminal convictions in the U.S., most between his deportations:

-- 1994, possession of false information, Elko, Nev.

-- 1995, felony forgery, Spokane, Wash.

-- 1998, felony drug possession, Los Angeles

-- 2003, felony forgery, Independence, Ark.

-- 2004, felony forgery and stealing by deception, Taney County, Mo.

-- 2012, illegal re-entry by aggravated felon, federal court in Indiana

He was last deported June 20, 2014, after serving 41 months for illegally re-entering the U.S.

Gautier police encountered him seven months later.

This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Man deported six times gets prison for returning again ."