A man from Nicaragua is facing possible deportation and will be turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he was caught speeding on U.S. 301 in Oxford.
Carlos Jose Mendoza Poveda, 26, who currently lists a Jacksonville address, was driving a dark blue Chevrolet Malibu at 7:14 p.m. Tuesday when a Sumter County sheriff’s deputy caught him on radar traveling 63 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone. The traffic stop occurred on U.S. 301 just south of the intersection at County Road 204.
When the deputy asked for his driver’s license, Mendoza Poveda admitted he did not have one. Instead, he provided the deputy with an enlarged photocopy of his Nicaraguan identification card. A subsequent check through dispatch confirmed Mendoza Poveda has never been issued a valid driver’s license.
Mendoza Poveda was issued a civil citation for speeding and arrested on a misdemeanor charge of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.
He was transported to the Sumter County Detention Center, where his bond was initially set at $500. However, jail records indicate ICE has since placed a hold on him, meaning he will be transferred to federal custody rather than being released.