Two men accused separately of failing to register as sex offenders pleaded guilty Wednesday before a federal judge in Texarkana, Ark.
Mario DeSantiago-Arias, 47, was convicted in November 2012 of aggravated sexual assault of a child involving a 9-year-old girl in Mount Pleasant, Texas, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety sex offender database. He was deported to his native Mexico in May 2014.
On March 1, DeSantiago-Arias was arrested by Titus County Sheriff's Office on a charge of driving while intoxicated and placed in the Titus County jail in Mount Pleasant.
DeSantiago-Arias appeared with Texarkana lawyer Howard Mowery for a plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven. He pleaded guilty to illegally entering the U.S. after being previously deported and to failing to register as a sex offender.
He will return to court for sentencing once a pretrial report, including a recommendation for punishment under federal sentencing guidelines, is complete.
DeSantiago-Arias faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine up to $250,000 or both on the illegal re-entry charge and up to 10 years in prison, a fine up to $250,000 or both for failing to register as a sex offender.
James Christopher Harvey, 56, also appeared with Mowery before Craven. He was convicted in January 1998 in Collin County, Texas, of aggravated sexual assault involving a 34-year-old woman, according to the DPS database.
"I was aware of my registration requirements and had previously been convicted for failure to comply with those requirements," states a factual basis filed in Harvey's case. "I last registered as required on June 2, 2015, in Lamar County, Mississippi."
Harvey moved from Mississppi in 2015 to an address in Texas. Harvey failed to notify authorities in Mississippi that he had moved and failed to register with authorities in Texas once he arrived. Harvey faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross prosecuted the cases.