NEW ORLEANS, LA – Dery Joncarlos Zelaya-Zelaya, 28, a Honduran national, has confessed to the federal crime of illegally re-entering the United States after being previously deported – not once, but twice. The plea, entered July 1, 2025, confirms Zelaya-Zelaya knowingly violated Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
Court records reveal Zelaya-Zelaya was first ejected from the country on December 4, 2019, and again on May 13, 2022. Despite these removals, he brazenly attempted to circumvent U.S. immigration law, returning without authorization from either the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. This isn’t a simple border crossing; it’s a direct flouting of federal law.
Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced the guilty plea, signaling a continued crackdown on repeat immigration offenders. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan has scheduled sentencing for August 26, 2025, at 2 p.m., where Zelaya-Zelaya will learn his fate. He’s looking at a maximum sentence of two years behind bars, alongside a potential fine of up to $250,000.
Beyond imprisonment and financial penalties, Zelaya-Zelaya could also face up to one year of supervised release following his sentence, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. The feds aren’t messing around. Simpson specifically praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations, for their relentless investigation that brought Zelaya-Zelaya to justice.
Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is spearheading the prosecution. This case isn’t being treated in isolation. It’s a component of “Operation Take Back America,” a sweeping national initiative designed to aggressively combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and safeguard communities from violent crime.
Operation Take Back America leverages resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), effectively streamlining efforts to address the complex challenges posed by border security and criminal enterprises. The message is clear: repeat offenders will be pursued, prosecuted, and punished to the fullest extent of the law. This isn’t just about one man; it’s about securing the border and protecting American citizens.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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