Mario Fuentes-Velasquez Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

Mario Fuentes-Velasquez, 29, a native of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States after prior deportation—a federal crime that carries up to two years behind bars. The admission, entered in federal court in the Eastern District of Louisiana, marks the end of a three-year fugitive status following his reappearance in the country.

The charge stems from a one-count Indictment under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a), which bars previously removed aliens from reentering without explicit authorization. Fuentes-Velasquez was officially removed from the U.S. on August 29, 2013, after immigration authorities processed his deportation.

Despite that order, he was found back on American soil in the Eastern District of Louisiana on September 7, 2016. At no point had he obtained permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to return—making his presence a felony under federal law.

Fuentes-Velasquez now faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. U.S. District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon presided over the plea and has scheduled sentencing for March 16, 2017. No plea agreement details were disclosed in court filings.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite, who announced the guilty plea, commended Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for their role in tracking down and apprehending Fuentes-Velasquez. The case underscores the federal government’s ongoing push to prosecute repeat immigration offenders, particularly those who return after formal removal.

Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is leading the prosecution. The case remains active as it heads toward sentencing, with federal authorities emphasizing that illegal reentry is not a minor violation—but a serious federal offense with real prison time on the line.