A Mexican national has been arrested and charged with illegally re-entering the United States after being previously deported.
United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the charges against 45-year-old Antonio Candia-Bautista. If convicted, Candia-Bautista faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
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According to the criminal complaint, Candia-Bautista was deported from the United States on October 4, 2016. He unlawfully re-entered the country at an unknown time after that. He was recently arrested in Sumter County on January 28, 2025, during a state investigation into an automobile accident. A records check revealed that Candia-Bautista is a Mexican citizen without legal permission to be present in the United States.
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The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boye is prosecuting. It is important to note that a complaint is merely a formal charge, and Candia-Bautista is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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