Maurilio Jastinto-Juarez, a 50-year-old Mexican national, has pled guilty to the federal charge of illegal reentry after removal, as announced by U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans last Thursday. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Jastinto-Juarez's situation came to light following a March arrest for driving while intoxicated in Houma, Louisiana, where his fingerprints triggered an alert in the Department of Homeland Security's systems revealing his prior deportation on December 16, 2022.
After being initially apprehended by the Louisiana State Police, further investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed Jastinto-Juarez's reentry into the U.S., which now subjects him to potential penalties including up to two years in prison, a fine reaching $250,000, supervised release following imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee; his sentencing is slated for January 21, 2025.
In praising the collaborative effort, U.S. Attorney Evans credited the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Louisiana State Police, and the Terrebonne Sheriff’s Office for their roles in the prosecution of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr., attached to the General Crimes Unit, has been pointed out as the lead prosecutor in this matter, according to the same press release.
