A federal judge sentenced Mexican actress Fernanda Romero to 15 consecutive weekends in jail, 1,000 hours of community service and five years on probation after she was found guilty of lying to immigration authorities about her marriage.
Last year, the soap opera and movie actress was charged with the federal crime of fraudulent marriage and making false statements during her interviews with immigration authorities to obtain her permanent residency in the United States. The fraudulent marriage trial was mistried in September of last year because the jury could not reach an agreement.
As part of a plea deal, Romero pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of lying to immigration authorities. On Monday, the actress appeared in court, where she and her husband were sentenced to 30 days in jail, which, starting in June, they will serve as 15 consecutive weekends.
During sentencing, Federal Judge Manuel Real emphasized the seriousness of the crime, ruling out the possibility of the couple avoiding time behind bars.
According to the Associated Press, Romero's case is being evaluated by the immigration court, which, based on the evidence, will determine whether to deport the actress.
This is a perfect example of why you should never attempt to obtain permanent residency through a fraudulent marriage or false statements when applying for an immigration benefit. The law prohibits it and the consequences are severe.
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