RALEIGH, N.C. — A Mexican citizen previously convicted of child molestation has been sentenced to seven months in federal prison for immigration fraud, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Thursday.
Marcelo Soto-Luna, who pleaded guilty to the charge on Jan. 14, was sentenced on May 6. After completing both his federal and state prison terms, he will be transferred to ICE custody for removal proceedings.
Court documents show that Soto-Luna falsely answered “No” to a question on his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) application in 2020 regarding past involvement in sexual misconduct or coercion. At the time, he had already committed child sex offenses that he later admitted to.
On Oct. 25, 2023, Soto-Luna was convicted in Wake County Superior Court of three counts of indecent liberties with a child. He received a sentence of 45 to 81 months and must register as a sex offender. He confessed to committing the crimes against a 7-year-old girl on Jan. 1, 2019.
Case part of broader immigration fraud crackdown
The investigation was led by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division in Raleigh as part of Operation False Haven, a nationwide initiative targeting immigration fraud by individuals convicted of serious crimes.
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“This conviction underscores ICE’s unwavering commitment to upholding the integrity of our nation’s immigration system,” said LaDeon Francis, director of ICE’s Atlanta Field Office. “Those who attempt to manipulate or defraud the immigration process will be held accountable.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina prosecuted the case.