A Guatemalan man has been convicted of reentering the United States illegally, reports the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas. Found guilty by a jury, Leonardo Fernando Batz could now face up to two years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement, the verdict came after less than an hour of deliberation, concluding a three-day trial.
Batz was apprehended in Harris County on November 23, 2023. During the investigation, it was confirmed that Batz was not a United States citizen and that he had a prior removal order. This isn't the first time Batz faced deportation; records show his previous removals took place in 2007 and again in 2020. The jury examined evidence including Batz's Guatemalan passport, travel documents from the Guatemalan consulate, and his alien file, along with testimony from law enforcement.
Detailed in the trial proceedings, a Border Patrol agent recounted an instance from September 2019, when Batz had entered the U.S. via a raft on the Rio Grande River. He later pleaded guilty to the unlawful entry. Additionally, a fingerprint expert linked Batz to the documents associated with his prior deportations, further cementing the government's case against him.
Despite efforts by the defense to challenge the credibility of the government's evidence, the jury was not swayed and delivered a guilty verdict. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt, who presided over the trial, has scheduled the sentencing for Thursday next week. Until sentencing, Batz will remain in custody.
The case against Batz is part of Operation Take Back America, a sweeping law enforcement initiative focused on combatting illegal immigration and dismantling transnational criminal organizations. The Department of Justice has pooled resources from various programs, including the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods, to support these efforts.
