Six Restaurant Workers Plead Guilty to Illegal Reentry

Six restaurant employees in Buffalo, New York, have pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegal reentry after deportation, marking the latest crackdown on undocumented workers with criminal histories. The guilty pleas, handed down before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, expose a network of foreign nationals working under the radar in the city’s restaurant industry while facing prior removal orders.

Joel Hernandez-Martinez, 29, of Mexico, admitted to reentering the U.S. illegally after being deported following a felony conviction. Hernandez-Martinez worked at Don Tequila and now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2017. Similarly, Miguel Sanchez-Ocampo, 40, also of Mexico, pleaded guilty to the same charge after working at El Agave. His sentencing is pending before Judge Geraci.

Four other defendants—Walter Lopez-Cabrera, 30, of Honduras; Araceli Lopez-Martinez, 33, of Mexico; Alejandro Valadez-Leon, 46, of Mexico; and Eliel Sanchez-Ocampo, 34, of Mexico—each pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after deportation. All four were sentenced to time served and are now in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), awaiting execution of prior removal orders. Lopez-Cabrera and Valadez-Leon worked at Agave; Lopez-Martinez and Eliel Sanchez-Ocampo worked at Don Tequila.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, in coordination with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Authorities declined to specify the nature of the underlying felony convictions but confirmed the probe began as part of a broader push to identify undocumented individuals with criminal records embedded in local workplaces.

Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr., emphasized the federal government’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws, particularly when public safety is at risk. “These defendants weren’t just here illegally—they were here after being deported for felony offenses,” Kennedy stated. “We’re not targeting workers. We’re targeting criminals who exploit systems and return unlawfully.”

The case underscores growing scrutiny on employment practices in the restaurant sector, where cash-heavy operations and transient staffing can obscure immigration status. With two defendants still facing up to a decade behind bars, the message from federal prosecutors is clear: violating reentry laws in Western New York comes with serious consequences.

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