A Honduran national has entered a guilty plea to the charge of illegal re-entry after removal, says Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, DERY JONCARLOS ZELAYA-ZELAYA, 28, was removed from the United States on two prior occasions and did not have official authorization to re-enter the country.
Details emerging from court documents revealed that ZELAYA-ZELAYA had been previously expelled from U.S. soil on May 13, 2022, and before that, on December 4, 2019. In a move to quickly reinstate legality to his status, it appears that ZELAYA-ZELAYA opted to re-enter the United States without seeking to obtain the requisite permission from either the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. His sentencing is now set for August 26, and will be overseen by United States District Judge Susie Morgan.
ZELAYA-ZELAYA's plea could lead him to face a maximum imprisonment term of two years. Additional consequences may include a fine of up to $250,000, the possibility of up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. The gravity of the situation is mirrored in such substantial potential penalties, which are meant to underscore the legality of entry and residency in the United States.
The case against ZELAYA-ZELAYA has been largely built on the thorough investigative work by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations. Remarks by Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson have openly praised the diligence of the agency in handling matters such as these. To push forward with the prosecution, Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit has been appointed to take lead, ensuring that ZELAYA-ZELAYA could swiftly navigate through the judiciary trajectory set before him.
