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Charges were dismissed Monday against four of the undocumented immigrants arrested while protesting during September’s Democratic National Convention.
Mecklenburg Assistant District Attorney Bruce Lillie said the impeding traffic charges were dismissed after the defendants completed 25 hours of community service as part of a deferred prosecution program. The defendants also had been required to stay out of trouble.
The undocumented immigrants were arrested after they sat down in an uptown intersection and refused police orders to disperse.
The four protesters whose charges were dismissed were among 10 undocumented activists who were part of the “Undocubus,” a group of about 50 immigrants who traveled to Charlotte to protest during the DNC and demand an end to deportations.
Lillie identified the four “Undocubus” defendants whose charges were dismissed as Kitzia Esteva, Gloria Martinez Esteva, Gerardo Torres and Julio Sanchez.
An impeding traffic charge also was dismissed Monday against Macruz Ramirez. It’s unclear whether Ramirez was among the activists who were part of “Undocubus.”
Lillie said most of the protesters have been offered an opportunity to participate in the deferred prosecution program. If the defendants successfully complete the program, the charges against them will be dismissed.
Impeding traffic is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum punishment of 60 days in jail.
But Lillie said that most of those arrested during the DNC had no prior records and would not have been subject to active jail sentences. They would probably have been placed on probation and fined if they had been convicted, he said.
