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Man sentenced to federal prison on immigration charge

BELMOND — A citizen of Honduras who was living in Belmond has been sentenced to federal prison for entering the United States after being deported three times previously.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa reported that Jorge Matute-Banegas, 28, received an 18-month prison term Tuesday after previously pleading guilty to one count of illegal reentry after having been convicted of an aggravated felony.

Matute-Banegas had been deported in June 2011, April 2013 and October 2014, according to prosecutors.

In July 2012 he was convicted of possession of marijuana for sale in Pinal County, Arizona. That is an aggravated felony in Arizona.

In October 2014, he was convicted of illegal reentry into the United States in federal court in Texas.

Immigration authorities found out Matute-Banegas was back in the country after he was charged with driving without a license in Wright County.

He pleaded guilty to the illegal reentry charge on Feb. 6.

District Court Judge C.J. Williams sentenced him to prison on Tuesday.

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