Pinguil-Caguana Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry After Removal

BANGOR, Maine — In a stunning reversal of fortune, Cristian Paul Pinguil-Caguana, a 37-year-old Ecuadorian national, has been handed a one-year-and-one-day sentence for illegal re-entry into the United States after having been removed from the country four times previously.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker imposed the severe penalty during a hearing in Bangor’s federal court, where Pinguil-Caguana has been detained since his arrest on October 6, 2023. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges on November 27, 2023.

Records indicate that Pinguil-Caguana was apprehended during an investigation of another immigration detainer in the Jackman area by U.S. Border Patrol personnel. He identified himself as an Ecuadorian and confessed to being in the country illegally. His prior removals from the U.S., which occurred predominantly after 2021, were well-documented, with the most recent at Alexandria, Louisiana.

Despite having been prosecuted for immigration offenses on four separate occasions, Pinguil-Caguana had not secured the express consent of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. His illegal status was a clear breach of federal law.

The case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which has been on the forefront of enforcing immigration laws across the nation. Pinguil-Caguana’s sentence sends a stark message about the consequences of attempting to circumvent the legal system.

This grim reminder of the Immigration Enforcement’s ongoing efforts against illegal re-entry serves as a cautionary tale for those considering similar actions in the future.