A resident of Columbia found in Mercer County after having been deported twice from the United States was sentenced to prison Friday.

Sara Suarez, 60, pleaded guilty March 29 to illegal entry into the United States by a removed alien.

U.S. District Court Judge Donetta W. Ambrose, Pittsburgh, sentenced Ms. Suarez to 30 months in prison and costs, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Almon S. Burke Jr.

Ms. Suarez was discovered July 11 in Mercer County when the car she was riding in was stopped for a traffic violation, Burke said.

State police took the names of all the people in the car.

"She gave a name that popped up on an FBI list," Burke said.

She gave another name, which also was known to authorities.

"They popped up 28 different aliases for her," Burke said, adding that she also used a number of different dates of birth.

Ms. Suarez, who has family in California and Colombia, also had an extensive criminal history for shoplifting, he said.

Although Ms. Suarez pleaded for mercy at her sentencing, the judge noted Ms. Suarez's extensive criminal history and the fact she had entered the country illegally before, Burke said.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Ms. Suarez had been deported and removed from the United States on Dec. 14, 1990, and Nov. 17, 2000.

Following her jail term, Ms. Suarez will be taken into custody by the Immigration and Naturalization Service for a hearing. Ms. Ambrose told Ms. Suarez that she will be deported at that time, Burke said.

INS Special Agent James Kunkle conducted the investigation.