Repeat Offender Lopez-Sosa Faces Federal Re-Entry Charges

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Juan Carlos LOPEZ-SOSA, a 31-year-old Guatemalan national, is facing federal charges for the crime of re-entering the United States illegally after being previously deported. The indictment, handed down on September 18, 2025, accuses LOPEZ-SOSA of violating Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), a charge carrying significant penalties.

According to court documents, LOPEZ-SOSA was discovered in St. Tammany Parish on September 11, 2025. This wasn’t his first brush with the law regarding illegal entry. He previously pleaded guilty to violating 8 U.S.C. § 1326, Illegal Re-entry of Removed Alien, on April 5, 2018, receiving a two-day sentence for the offense. He was subsequently removed to Guatemala on April 20, 2018 – a removal he clearly disregarded.

Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson made the announcement, but was quick to emphasize a crucial point: an indictment is not a conviction. The government bears the burden of proving LOPEZ-SOSA’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case highlights the ongoing struggle to secure the border and enforce immigration laws.

If found guilty, LOPEZ-SOSA could face up to ten years in federal prison. The potential penalties don’t stop there; he also risks a fine of up to $250,000, a maximum of three years of supervised release following imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. These are serious stakes for a repeat offender.

This prosecution falls under the umbrella of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the Department of Justice. The operation aims to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and safeguard communities from violent crime. It streamlines resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), signaling a concerted federal effort.

Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson commended the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their investigative work in this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit, is leading the prosecution. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the proceedings as they unfold, providing a raw and unfiltered look at the realities of federal crime in Louisiana and beyond. (See Operation Take Back America details: https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline)