Deported former Agriprocessors worker pleads guilty in federal court

A Guatemalan man who was deported in the 2008 Agriprocessors immigration raid pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to illegal reentry and possession of ammunition by a felon.

Armando Ramiro Garcia-Arenales, 30, of Waterloo, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after deportation by an aggravated felon and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon and illegal immigrant, according to court documents.

According to evidence, Garcia-Arenales was arrested following a traffic stop March 1, by Waterloo Police officers. A search was conducted of his car and numerous rounds of 9 mm ammunition were recovered. Garcia-Arenales had previously been convicted in 2005 in Clayton County, of felony offenses of delivery of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to deliver.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement determined that Garcia-Arenales had previously been deported in October 2008 and had not received permission to reenter the United States. Garcia-Arenales had been arrested in May 2008 immigration raid at Agriprocessors in Postville. He was convicted of using of a fraudulent identification registration card and deported.

Sentencing hasn't been set. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the illegal reentry charge and 10 years on the ammunition charge.