Five Repeat Deportees Face Federal Re-Entry Charges in Florida

TALLAHASSEE & PENSACOLA, FL – Federal authorities are cracking down on repeat immigration offenders, with five individuals facing federal charges for illegally re-entering the United States after prior deportation. The indictments, returned by a grand jury, highlight a persistent struggle to secure the border and enforce immigration laws, according to a statement released today by United States Attorney John P. Heekin.

Narciso Oswaldo Moreno-Zepeda, 42, of Honduras, is accused of illegally slipping back into the country and being found in Escambia County in June 2025. He was previously deported in 2014. A trial date is set for October 6, 2025, before United States District Judge M. Casey Rogers. Also indicted is Hector Chaves-Morales, 27, of Guatemala, apprehended in Walton County in May 2025, after being deported in 2016. His case remains pending.

Authorities also allege Franklin David Zelaya-Funez, 32, of Honduras, illegally re-entered the U.S. and was located in Escambia County in June 2025, having been deported in 2021. His case is also pending. Kevin Noel Ochoa-Venegas, 32, of Honduras, faces the stiffest potential penalty. Located in Bay County in April 2025, Ochoa-Venegas was previously deported in both 2016 and 2021. Due to these prior convictions, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His trial is scheduled for September 22, 2025, before United States District Judge Mark Walker.

Rounding out the indictments is Edwin Martinez-Cruz, 38, of Honduras, allegedly found in Escambia County in July 2025, after deportation in 2022. He’s slated to appear before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II, on October 20, 2025. The standard penalty for illegal reentry carries a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine, but as noted, Ochoa-Venegas faces escalated charges.

The investigation is a joint effort led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and Enforcement and Removal Operations, with crucial support from the Escambia, Bay, and Walton County Sheriff’s Offices. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton, Alicia H. Forbes, Brooke DiSalvo, and Justin M. Keen are prosecuting the cases. These indictments are part of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative designed to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels, and protect communities from violent crime.

It’s critical to remember that an indictment is not proof of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, one of 94 nationwide, is responsible for litigating federal criminal cases under the direction of the Attorney General. Public court documents can be accessed via the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. Further information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.