Alberto Secundino-Buenaventura Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry

Alberto Secundino-Buenaventura, 36, is back in the federal crosshairs — not for a violent spree or a drug haul, but for slipping back into the United States after being formally deported over a decade ago. The Mexican national was hit with a federal indictment today on one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien, a crime punishable under Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).

The indictment unsealed today reveals Secundino-Buenaventura crossed back into the U.S. after being officially removed on January 17, 2013. That prior deportation set the legal foundation for the current charge — once out, he wasn’t granted permission to return. Now, federal prosecutors say he violated that order, triggering a new criminal case rooted in immigration law.

If convicted, Secundino-Buenaventura faces a maximum of two years behind bars, a fine of up to $250,000, a mandatory $100 special assessment, and one year of supervised release. While not a high-profile felony, the charge carries real consequences — a reminder that immigration violations are treated as federal crimes with prison time, not just administrative headaches.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite, overseeing the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Louisiana, confirmed the indictment was handed down today. He emphasized that the charge is not a conviction — Secundino-Buenaventura is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, a cornerstone of the federal justice system even in immigration cases.

Law enforcement officials with the Department of Homeland Security led the investigation, tracking the defendant’s reentry and building the case for prosecution. Their work underscores the ongoing federal focus on identifying and charging individuals who reenter the country illegally after formal removal.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is handling the prosecution. As the case moves forward, Secundino-Buenaventura will face a courtroom battle over his presence in the U.S. — not with appeals or asylum claims, but as a defendant in a federal criminal case where the stakes include prison time and a lasting criminal record.