Immigrants sentenced for thefts of tax refunds

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- The U.S. attorney's office says three illegal immigrants will go to prison for their roles in a scheme to steal tax refund checks from Texas workers and use phony IDs to cash them in Kansas.

Prosecutors said Monday the convictions count as aggravated felonies. That means that upon their release, the three will be deported and not eligible to return to the United States.

Jose Francisco Mariadiaga-Guadiola, of Honduras, was sentenced to three years and one month after pleading guilty earlier to illegal entry after deportation, passing forged U.S. Treasury checks and identity theft.

Nery Sandoval-Montes, of Honduras, was sentenced to two years on a count of possession of fraudulent documents.

Alma Gabriela Lozano-Leos, of Mexico, got one year and a day on a conspiracy count for fraud.