U.S. States Attorney Bill Nettles said the defendants had previously been deported from the United States, one of whom was deported at least four times.

Demis Osmari Ulloa-Funez, 28, of Honduras was discovered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on September 24th when he was incarcerated at the J. Reuben Long Detention center. When agents checked his immigration status, they learned he did not have permission to reenter the United States and had previously been deported four times.

Ulloa-Funez pled guilty to illegal reentry in a Florence courtroom and will be sentenced at a later date. Nettles said the maximum penalty he can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for two years, as well as a special assessment of $100.

Israel Sanchez-Pineda, 34, of Honduras was also discovered by ICE agents at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on September 14th. A check of his immigration status determined that he did not have permission to reenter the U.S.

Sanchez-Pineda was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and was sentenced on June 30, 2000 to 33 months in prison in San Antonio, Texas. After serving his sentence, he was deported back to Honduras. However, he was discovered back in the United States, and has pled guilty in a Florence courtroom. The maximum penalty Sanchez-Pineda can receive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 20 years, plus a special assessment of $100.

Alonso Perez-Trujillo, 23, of Mexico was originally removed from the U.S. on July 6, 2010 as an illegal alien. Nettles said on August 21, he was arrested by ICE agents who had been investigating drug activities in the Myrtle Beach area. Agents checked his immigration status and found Perez-Trujillo did not have permission to be in the U.S. After pleading guilty in a Florence courtroom, the maximum penalty Perez-Trujillo can receive upon sentencing is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for two years, plus a special assessment of $100.