⏱ 2 min read
Erik Roberto Machado-Mencia, a 37-year-old Honduran native, pleaded guilty to re-entering the United States without authorization after being previously deported. The incident occurred on May 15, 2025, when Machado-Mencia was found in a silver Toyota sedan on Interstate 12 near Lacombe, Louisiana. A federal Border Patrol Agent had stopped the vehicle due to its fictitious Texas temporary paper license plate. Machado-Mencia, also known as Roberto Machado-Mencia, was identified through records checks and found to be a citizen of Honduras who had been previously deported on December 16, 2019.
The Border Patrol Agent had been working on a highway interdiction on I-12, a common route used by human and drug smugglers, when they noticed the suspicious sedan. The agent’s experience and instincts led to the stop, which revealed the fake license plate and ultimately the identity of Machado-Mencia. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat illegal re-entry and smuggling in the United States.
Machado-Mencia’s guilty plea was entered on June 11, 2026, and he is set to be sentenced on July 30, 2026. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, led by U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle, is handling the case. The outcome of the sentencing will determine the consequences for Machado-Mencia’s actions.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Organized Crime
- Defendant: Louisiana
- Location: LA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
