FAUSTINO JUAREZ-CASTILLO, a 32-year-old Mexican national, was sentenced today in federal court for the crime of illegal re-entry, a repeat violation of U.S. immigration law after being formally removed over a decade ago. The conviction stems from his unauthorized return to the United States, specifically within the Eastern District of Louisiana, without permission from federal authorities.
JUAREZ-CASTILLO pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced the sentencing, confirming that the defendant has no legal standing to be in the country following his prior removal on October 28, 2011.
U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman handed down a 14-month federal prison sentence, followed by one year of supervised release. Upon completion of his incarceration, JUAREZ-CASTILLO will be immediately transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for formal removal proceedings—marking a second forced deportation unless legal appeals intervene.
Court documents reveal JUAREZ-CASTILLO was found back on U.S. soil on August 2, 2016. At no point since his 2011 removal had he obtained consent from the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter—making his presence in the country a felony under federal law.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, whose agents tracked and confirmed JUAREZ-CASTILLO’s identity and immigration history. U.S. Attorney Polite commended the agency’s persistence, noting that long-term immigration fugitives are still being located and prosecuted years after their initial removal.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis led the prosecution. No mitigating circumstances were presented to the court, and JUAREZ-CASTILLO offered no defense against the charge. The conviction underscores federal efforts to enforce immigration laws against repeat offenders, particularly those with no legal pathway to reentry.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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