A Guatemalan citizen was indicted for illegally reentering the United States after removal, according to an announcement from the Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The man, Eric Estuardo Hernandez-Ramos, 19, is now facing federal charges stemming from his detainment last month.

Hernandez-Ramos found himself in the legal crosshairs on January 25 when officials discovered him in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The indictment, filed by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, alleges that the Guatemalan national had previously been removed from U.S. soil on December 18, 2023. Despite the legal proceedings, an indictment is not a conviction, and Hernandez-Ramos is considered innocent until proven guilty.

The charges carry a hefty penalty if convicted — up to two years behind bars and a potential fine reaching $250,000. Should there be one, the particulars of his sentence will be dictated by federal guidelines, which consider both the gravity of the offense and Hernandez-Ramos's past criminal record. According to the Department of Justice, Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski leads the prosecution.