A Guatemalan man with ties to northwest Iowa has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to illegal re-entry and failure to register as a sex offender.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, 27-year-old Sergio Niz-Mendez entered a guilty plea Monday. Court records show Niz-Mendez had previously been removed from the United States in 2018 and had not obtained permission to legally return.
Authorities say he was also required to register as a sex offender following a 2016 conviction in Massachusetts for the rape of a child.
Niz-Mendez was located in O’Brien County after being arrested on state charges of operating while intoxicated and eluding law enforcement.
Under federal law, illegal re-entry after deportation carries a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to one year of supervised release.
The failure to register as a sex offender carries more significant penalties, including up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a supervised release term ranging from five years to life.
Niz-Mendez remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transfer to a federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been announced.
This story is courtesy of fellow Community First Broadcasting station KUOO
