José Angel Hidalgo-Torres, a 20-year-old Spanish man, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to reentry after removal. According to court records, Hidalgo-Torres was found in Calais shortly after illegally entering the United States on July 18, 2025.
Hidalgo-Torres was previously removed from the country in May 2024, but he chose to disregard the law and reenter the United States illegally. This blatant disregard for the law has consequences, and Hidalgo-Torres now faces up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case, which is part of a larger effort to combat illegal immigration and protect our communities from violent crime. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that brings together the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration and achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs).
Hidalgo-Torres will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This sentence will serve as a reminder that reentering the United States after removal is a serious crime with serious consequences.
The case against Hidalgo-Torres is a prime example of the importance of Operation Take Back America. By streamlining efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), the Department of Justice can more effectively combat illegal immigration and protect our communities.
In a time where national security is a top priority, it is essential that we take a strong stance against illegal immigration. The guilty plea of José Angel Hidalgo-Torres serves as a warning to those who would seek to disregard our laws and enter the United States illegally. The Department of Justice will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities and uphold the law, and those who choose to break the law will be held accountable.
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Key Facts
- State: Maine
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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