Sioux City, Iowa (NorthwestIowaNow.com) – A traffic stop for drunk driving in Sioux County has unraveled a much larger federal case involving a man deported from the U-S five previous times.
Jesus Banuelos-Lepe, 49 of Maurice, Iowa in Sioux County, is a citizen of Mexico who had been living in Maurice, pleaded guilty in Sioux City’s federal court on Wednesday. The charge is illegal re-entry into the country as a convicted felon.
The case began with an O-W-I arrest in Sioux County this past July. According to prosecutors, Banuelos-Lepe gave officers a fake name when he was booked into jail. A deeper investigation soon revealed his true identity and his history.
Court documents show he is a convicted felon, with a prior conviction for transporting an illegal alien.
Banuelos-Lepe will remain in the custody of U-S Marshals while he awaits his sentencing. He faces a maximum penalty of up to ten years in federal prison.
The U-S Attorney’s Office says the case is part of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative to combat illegal immigration and organized crime.
