Six Dead, Guatemalan Driver Gets 24 Months for Illegal Return

OKLAHOMA CITY – A Guatemalan national responsible for a horrific crash that claimed the lives of six people, including three children, will spend two years in federal prison. JOSE PAXTOR-OXLAJ, 45, was sentenced yesterday to the statutory maximum of 24 months for illegally reentering the United States after being previously deported. The sentence will run consecutively to a four-year state prison term he already received for the deadly wreck.

The November 21, 2023, tragedy near Elk City, Oklahoma, left one passenger critically injured. Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) quickly uncovered that Paxtor-Oxlaj wasn’t just a reckless driver – he was unlawfully present in the country. An Immigration Judge had ordered his removal on June 29, 2010, and he was physically removed to Guatemala on July 9, 2010. He ignored that order, sneaking back into the U.S. in 2011.

A federal Grand Jury indicted Paxtor-Oxlaj on September 17, 2024, charging him with illegal reentry after previous deportation. He pleaded guilty on March 21, 2025, admitting he knowingly violated federal law by returning to the United States without authorization. Separately, in Beckham County District Court, he was convicted of six counts of first-degree manslaughter and one count of causing accident with great bodily injury without a valid driver’s license (case number CF-2023-257).

During yesterday’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick didn’t mince words. He condemned Paxtor-Oxlaj’s actions, stating the defendant “preyed on others who were here illegally” and that his conduct was “reprehensible.” The judge clearly saw beyond the illegal reentry charge, recognizing the devastating consequences of Paxtor-Oxlaj’s choices. The consecutive sentencing ensures he’ll serve at least six years total.

This case is a key component of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protecting American communities from violent crime. The investigation involved a coordinated effort by HSI, ICE, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and Elizabeth Joynes prosecuted the case.

While the federal sentence addresses the immigration violation, it offers little solace to the families shattered by the Elk City crash. Paxtor-Oxlaj’s actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and a callous indifference to human life. Public filings contain further details regarding this case, a grim reminder of the deadly consequences of unchecked illegal immigration and reckless driving.

RELATED: ICE Houston Lodges Detainers on 2 Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested for Intoxicated Manslaughter