Edy Garcia-Banegas, a 32-year-old citizen of Honduras, is back in federal crosshairs, charged with illegally reentering the United States after prior deportation. The one-count bill of information, announced today by U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, alleges Garcia-Banegas slipped across borders and reestablished presence in the country as of December 14, 2017 — years after being formally removed on January 6, 2012.
The charge, filed under 8 U.S.C. § 1326, carries a maximum penalty of two years behind bars, a fine of up to $250,000.00, one year of supervised release following any imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. Federal prosecutors aren’t mincing words: reentry after deportation is a serious federal offense, and Garcia-Banegas now faces the full weight of immigration law.
According to court documents, Garcia-Banegas had already been processed and deported nearly six years before his alleged return. Despite that legal barrier, he is accused of reentering without authorization, dodging detection until federal immigration authorities tied him to the violation. The investigation was led by the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the frontline agency in tracking down deported nationals who return illegally.
Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is spearheading the prosecution, building a case rooted in immigration records, entry logs, and prior removal documentation. No trial date has been set, but the bill of information signals the government’s intent to move swiftly. Garcia-Banegas remains in federal custody pending further proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Evans emphasized that while the charge has been filed, it remains a legal allegation. “A bill of information is merely a charge,” Evans stated. “The guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.” Still, convictions under 8 U.S.C. § 1326 are common when evidence of prior removal and subsequent reentry is solid.
This case underscores the federal government’s ongoing crackdown on repeat immigration offenders, particularly those with prior removal orders. For Edy Garcia-Banegas, 32, the price of return could be years behind bars — a hard lesson in the consequences of violating U.S. immigration law.
Related Federal Cases
- Honduran National Edy Garcia-Banegas Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry · Louisiana
- Honduran National Figueroa-Lopez Jailed for Illegal Reentry · Louisiana
- Honduran National Guzman-Rodriguez Charged with Illegal Reentry · Louisiana
- Honduran National Guzman-Rodriguez Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry · Louisiana
- Honduran National UMANA-ROSA Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry · Louisiana
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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