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Judge Sentences Serial Border Crosser To 7 Years

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Judge Sentences Serial Border Crosser To 7 Years

Judge Sentences Serial Border Crosser To 7 Years

A Mexican man who had been crossing the border illegally since 1994 was finally sentenced to seven years in prison.

In the end, it was a drug case that finally ended Joaquin Valdez's serial border crossings. The 38 year old was captured and deported at least four times in 17 years.

Late last year, Valdez was caught in Nogales and admitted to a separate marijuana trafficking conviction. The crossing attempt violated the terms of his parole in that case. Court records show he told the judge he had crossed into Nogales, Arizona to buy clothes to re-sell in Mexico.

A federal judge sentenced him last week to 77 months for the illegal entries and another 12 months for the parole violation.

Fronteras Desk senior editor Michel Marizco is an award-winning investigative reporter based in Flagstaff.