A Guatemalan national who had been previously deported pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry into the United States, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Wilson Hernandez-Bautista, aged 34, entered the plea in response to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton has set the date for sentencing on October 3, 2024, following an indictment by a federal grand jury in December 2023.

According to a release from the Department of Justice, Hernandez-Bautista was originally removed from the country on October 9, 2013. After returning illegally, he was convicted of rape of a child with force in Essex County Superior Court. While serving his sentence of five to seven years, his unlawful status came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). If found guilty, the charge of unlawful reentry carries a potential punishment of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a possible fine of up to $250,000.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd Lyons, the Field Office Director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Boston, jointly announced the plea. They acknowledged the cooperation received from the Massachusetts Department for Corrections in managing the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit is tasked with prosecuting this case.