A Mexican national with a history of deportations and criminal convictions, including vehicular manslaughter, was arraigned on a federal immigration charge in Santa Ana, California. Oscar Eduardo Ortega, 43, pleaded not guilty to being an illegal alien found in the United States following removal.
United States Magistrate Judge John D. Early ordered Ortega’s detention and set a trial date for September 8.
“After being deported to Mexico twice, he returned to our country, where he killed two young people in a DUI accident and where he served only 3½ years out of a 10-year sentence in California state prison,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Governor Newsom let down the victims’ families by allowing this criminal to be released from prison after barely serving a third of his sentence. The state of the criminal justice system in California is dire; the prisons are being emptied at lighting speed. Thankfully, the federal government is able to step in and help deliver justice for the victims and their families in this case.”
“Ortega never should have been in our country, and he should never have been given an early release after killing Anya Varfolomeev and Nikolay Osokin,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar stated. “Today, a small amount of justice has been done. The grief will never go away, but we continue to pray for Anya and Nikolay’s families as well as all Americans harmed by illegal immigration.”
The indictment details that Ortega was previously removed from the United States twice before returning illegally. In November 2021, while under the influence of alcohol and drugs, Ortega crashed into another car on the 405 freeway at high speed, resulting in two fatalities.
In 2022, Ortega was convicted on two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated but served only part of his sentence before being released from state prison.
U.S. immigration officials took him into custody again last Thursday.
Ortega’s past includes felony convictions for grand theft and unlawful vehicle taking in Los Angeles Superior Court (2005) and false imprisonment by violence or deceit (2014).
An indictment alleges crime commission but presumes innocence until proven guilty.
If convicted on current charges, Ortega could face up to ten years in federal prison.
The case is under investigation by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement with Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence E. Kole prosecuting.
