Illegal immigrant indicted on federal charges after San Francisco murder acquittal

Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, arrested in connection with the July 1, 2015, shooting of Kate Steinle on a pier in San Francisco is led into the Hall of Justice for his arraignment in San Francisco, California, U.S. on July 7, 2015. REUTERS/Michael Macor/Pool/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A grand jury on Tuesday indicted on federal charges an illegal immigrant from Mexico who was acquitted last week of murder by a San Francisco jury, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.

Jose Ines Garcia Zarate was indicted on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and for being an illegal immigrant in possession of a firearm, the statement said.

Garcia Zarate, who had been deported to Mexico five times since first entering the United States as a juvenile, was acquitted on Thursday in the killing of Kate Steinle, whose death Donald Trump used as a rallying cry against "sanctuary cities" during his presidential campaign.

(Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)