Marcial Esteban-Vasquez Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-Entry in Columbia

Maricial Esteban-Vasquez, 39, of Mexico, stood before a federal judge in Columbia this week and admitted to illegally re-entering the United States after being deported three times — a crime that could land him behind bars for up to two decades.

Esteban-Vasquez entered a guilty plea to one count of Illegal Re-Entry, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), U.S. Attorney Beth Drake confirmed today. The plea was accepted by United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, who will sentence the defendant only after reviewing the presentence report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case unfolded on December 13, 2017, when ICE-Enforcement and Removal Operations Deportation Officers encountered Esteban-Vasquez while assisting DEA agents in a separate investigation. During the operation, authorities confirmed he was a Mexican citizen previously removed from the U.S. on three separate occasions under formal orders of removal.

Under federal law, Illegal Re-Entry carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years. U.S. Attorney Drake emphasized the seriousness of the offense, calling it a direct breach of federal immigration statutes designed to keep repeat offenders out of the country.

The investigation was conducted by ICE-ERO officers, whose routine collaboration with federal drug enforcement units often uncovers deeper criminal histories. In this instance, Esteban-Vasquez’s reappearance on U.S. soil triggered immediate prosecution under immigration enforcement protocols.

Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, is prosecuting the case out of the Columbia office. With sentencing pending, Esteban-Vasquez remains in federal custody, awaiting the court’s final judgment on his latest violation of U.S. law.