In a recent announcement, United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe detailed the charges against Bayros Aguilar-Ramirez, a 29-year-old Honduran national, with illegal reentry after a previous deportation. Aguilar-Ramirez faces up to two years in federal prison if convicted of the crime. According to court documents, he was deported from the U.S. on November 23, 2016, but was encountered by law enforcement in St Johns County two weeks ago.
The circumstances surrounding his arrest, which took place on Sunday, indicate that Aguilar-Ramirez returned to the United States without the necessary authorization, being unpermitted by the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for readmission. Officials from both Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation, with Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein prosecuting the case.
While Aguilar-Ramirez has been charged, it is important to note that a criminal complaint is not a determination of guilt but a formal accusation raising the possibility that an individual has transgressed against federal law. Federally, every defendant preserves the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
This incident is not an isolated event but rather a component of the larger "Operation Take Back America" effort. Described as a nationwide initiative, it aims to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and other transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and prioritize public safety. This case, as read in the Department of Justice announcement, plays into a concerted effort that draws upon resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
