Kenthen Lavardo Swain, a 26-year-old citizen of The Bahamas, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for the crime of illegal reentry by an aggravated felon. A senior U.S. District Judge, Richard A. Lazzara, handed down the sentence. The information, confirmed by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe, reveals that Swain entered his guilty plea on November 19, 2025, and his sentencing was consequently reported on Friday.
Swain's apprehension took place under circumstances that only compound to starkly amplify the complexities of immigration enforcement. On approximately May 26, 2025, Swain was discovered by immigration authorities in the Manatee County Jail following an arrest for battery on a law enforcement officer. Court documents, as detailed in a statement obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice, show that Swain had been previously removed from the United States thrice before, and had not secured permission to legally reenter the country. His track record includes multiple felony convictions, among them the intent to sell controlled substances.
The case against Swain was spearheaded by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), with Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang leading the prosecution. Homeland security measures and the enforcement of immigration laws lie at the heart of ICE’s mission, and cases like Swain’s underscore their ongoing efforts.
Swain's sentencing comes under the larger umbrella of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative meant to uncompromisingly tackle illegal immigration. In an attempt to mobilize the full force of the Department of Justice, this operation engages not only in combatting unlawful entry but also in efforts to disband cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) that threaten community safety. As part of these initiatives, resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) have been coordinately funneled to maximize impact.
