A Honduran national has been hit with federal charges recently for illegally re-entering the United States after previous deportations, with an indictment filed earlier this month according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Pedro Tailor Castillo-Bonilla, 42, was found in Jefferson Parish on June 18 and now faces the possibility of two years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine if convicted; he was previously deported to Honduras twice, in 2011 and 2012, per the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement.
Castillo-Bonilla's indictment is part of a larger focus on immigration enforcement under Operation Take Back America, a DOJ initiative aiming to curtail illegal immigration and dismantle cartels, even though the maximum penalty he faces includes two years of imprisonment, there's also up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee that could be applied to him. This case and others like it showcase the department’s dedicated efforts through joint resources from Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Underlining the gravity of the indictment, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson pointed out that "an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt," as mentioned on the U.S. Attorney's Office website. The commendable work of U.S. Customs and Border Protection was acknowledged in association with this indictment, which is being overseen by Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., from the General Crimes Unit.
In line with this stern approach to immigration enforcement, Operation Take Back America seeks to bolster security and reduce crime believed to be linked to illegal entry into the country, the initiative's focus is to repel what is described as an "invasion" of illegal immigration and protect American communities from various criminal elements, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
