Aggravated criminal alien sentenced to more than 7 years in federal prison

TAMPA, Fla. - Erick Garcia-Sandobal, 29, a Honduran citizen and native, was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court to 87 months in federal prison for being an aggravated criminal alien found in the United States without permission after deportation.

Garcia-Sandobal was discovered and arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents and officers on Oct. 29, 2010.

He was found to be voluntarily in the United States without having received the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security to re-apply for admission to the United States.

He entered a plea of guilty to the charge on Jan. 31.

According to court documents, Garcia-Sandobal, a/k/a Erik Garcia, has an aggravated felony conviction for obstructing or opposing an officer with violence and two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer.

He had been previously deported to Honduras from the United States on March 14, 1998.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald L. Hansen.