A Mexican national, Bernardo Lorenzo-Guatemala, 38, has been apprehended and charged with the crime of unlawful reentry into the United States following his previous deportation. Arrested on May 9, Lorenzo-Guatemala faced a federal court in Boston where, pending a hearing set for tomorrow, the judge ordered his detention, as disclosed by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Documents from the court reveal Lorenzo-Guatemala had been sent out of the country on June 4, 2019. Allegedly, he managed to reenter the US at some point after that date. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) caught on to Lorenzo-Guatemala's presence when he got arrested, on July 2, 2024, for driving with a suspended license.
Lorenzo-Guatemala is no stranger to the law; with several previous felony convictions under his belt including operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol in February 2016, negligent vehicle operation in July 2015, and a similar charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence from June 2014.
The stakes are high for Lorenzo-Guatemala, with the charge of unlawful reentry carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine reaching $250,000. After any sentence is served, deportation looms yet again. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, of ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston, announced the arrest and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan is handling the prosecution. However, it's important to note that the charges laid out against Lorenzo-Guatemala are merely allegations, as, "The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," the Justice Department reminds us.
