By Adam Allington, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – The illegal immigrant who crashed his SUV into a group of outdoor diners at a restaurant in Clayton last month is now facing federal charges.
Sergio Lopez, a Mexican citizen, has been indicted on charges of using a false social security number and pretending to be a U.S. citizen to gain employment.
James Ward is the Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in St. Louis.
"I believe he's been deported a couple of times, we've run across him on a couple of occasions and I believe within several weeks he was back into the country," said Ward.
If convicted Lopez could face up to five years in prison for each charge and fines up to two-hundred fifty thousand dollars.
U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway says on average, her office indicts about one illegal immigrant per week.
"Something in their past record rises their status to that of an aggravated felon at least for the purposes of the indictment," said Hanaway.
"Otherwise we're not bringing indictments and we're not bringing indictments and their just administratively deported."
Lopez-Luna was working at the Caf Napoli, also in Clayton. He had already been deported twice since 2004