Guatemala National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-Entry

Gulfport, Miss. – In a chilling case of illegal re-entry, Catarina Ixquiactap-Morales, 21, from Guatemala, has entered a guilty plea before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to unlawful return of an alien after removal.

This disturbing incident follows the April 30, 2019, guilty plea by Paul Garza, 50, a Texas citizen, for unlawful transportation of an alien within the U.S. Garza faces a potential maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Ixquiactap-Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2019, facing up to two years in prison, a year of supervised release, and the same fine as Garza. The case highlights the relentless nature of alien smuggling operations.

On March 22, 2019, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent encountered Ixquiactap-Morales during a traffic stop on Interstate 10. All passengers were found to be illegally present in the United States, with two being unaccompanied minors. The Guatemalan national was separately prosecuted for her felony offense.

U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst commended the collaborative efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is handling the prosecution.

The grim tale underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement in combating illegal immigration and human trafficking networks.

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