Orlin Rafael Cerrato-Avilez, Illegally Reentering U.S., Missouri 2026

Kansas City, MO – A jury has convicted a Honduran citizen of illegally reentering the United States after being previously deported.

Orlin Rafael Cerrato-Avilez, 32, was found guilty of one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien.

According to court documents, on March 4, 2026, officers with the Independence, Missouri Police Department arrested Cerrato-Avilez for giving false information during a traffic stop. When officers used fingerprints to confirm Cerrato-Avilez’s identity, they learned he had previously been removed from the United States.

The Independence Police Department contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, (“ICE-ERO”) who took custody of Cerrato-Avilez. In conjunction with ICE – Homeland Security Investigations (“ICE-HSI”), it was determined that Cerrato-Avilez had illegally entered the United States in April of 2013 and was removed to Honduras later that same month.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., returned a guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, ending a trial that began Monday, April 20, 2026.

Under federal statutes, Cerrato-Avilez is facing up to two years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Nichols and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by ICE-HSI, ICE-ERO, and the Independence, Missouri Police Department.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the government to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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