Anibal Leonel Lopez-Diaz Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-Entry

Anibal Leonel Lopez-Diaz, a 38-year-old Guatemalan national, pled guilty today to illegally reentering the United States after prior deportation, a federal crime under Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) & 1326(b)(1). The plea was entered in federal court in New Orleans before Judge Carl Barbier, who sentenced Lopez-Diaz to time served—marking the end of a case rooted in repeated violations of U.S. immigration law.

Lopez-Diaz has been in federal custody since February of this year, and with credit for time already served, he will not face additional prison time. The sentencing hearing was conducted via video conference, a procedural norm still in place due to lingering COVID-19 protocols within the federal judiciary. Despite avoiding further incarceration, Lopez-Diaz now faces imminent deportation—a consequence he has previously encountered.

According to the one-count indictment, Lopez-Diaz first was deported from the United States on February 28, 2007. Despite that removal, he later reentered the country illegally, triggering federal prosecution. Under the law, such violations carry a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. In this instance, prosecutors accepted a time-served sentence, likely influenced by custody duration and case specifics.

The investigation was led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), whose agents tracked and apprehended Lopez-Diaz following his unlawful return. U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser commended ICE for its role in identifying and processing the case, underscoring the ongoing federal push to enforce immigration laws against repeat offenders.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis handled the prosecution, steering the case toward a swift resolution without trial. The guilty plea spares judicial resources but reaffirms the seriousness with which federal authorities treat illegal re-entry, particularly when tied to prior removal orders.

Lopez-Diaz now awaits transfer to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings—yet again. His case reflects a broader pattern in federal dockets across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, where illegal re-entry charges remain a steady fixture of the criminal justice system, often tied to larger immigration enforcement operations.