Six individuals have pleaded guilty to illegal reentry into the United States in separate cases in the Northern District of Ohio, according to an announcement from the United States Attorney’s Office. Two additional people have been charged with similar offenses. The charges are for violations of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326, which prohibits reentering the country after removal.
The following defendants entered guilty pleas on February 19, unless otherwise noted:
Francisco Constancio-Mariscal, a 38-year-old citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. at least twice, most recently on April 28, 2011. He was found in Port Clinton, Ottawa County on January 4 and is scheduled for sentencing on April 2.
Marcos Alberto Bardales Lopez, age 27 and a citizen of Honduras, had been removed at least once before December 6, 2019. He was located in Maumee, Lucas County on January 12; sentencing is set for April 2.
Oscar Mendoza, a Honduran national aged 52, was last removed on January 17, 2008. He was also found in Maumee on January 12 and will be sentenced April 2.
Alvaro Veliz Gonzalez of Guatemala, age 35, has been removed from the U.S. at least four times with his latest removal dated October 11, 2021. He was discovered in Toledo on December 8, and faces sentencing April 2.
Guillermo Gutierrez-Rivas is a Mexican citizen aged 36 who had been deported most recently June 29, 2024. Authorities found him in Benton Township on December 19; his sentencing is scheduled for April 2.
Juviny A. Sabillon-Fernandez of Honduras pleaded guilty February 17 after being located in Saybrook on January 19; he had last been removed November 8, 2016 and will be sentenced March 23.
Two other individuals were indicted by federal grand juries for illegal reentry without consent from either the U.S. Attorney General or Secretary for Homeland Security:
Jorge Alfaro-Rosales (34), a Guatemalan national previously removed May 31, 2013 and found February 2 in Toledo; and Hugo Hernandez Lopez (also known as Pedro Hernandez or Pedro Hernandez-Lopez), a Mexican citizen aged 36 who had been deported four times—most recently September 22, 2024—and was located January 28 in Toledo.
On February 19 Jaime Sanchez-Tlehuactle (37), a Mexican citizen previously deported April 21 2021 and subject to an ICE detainer order after serving his sentence for illegal reentry conviction—was sentenced to twenty months’ imprisonment: “He is subject to a detainer from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and will be taken into administrative immigration custody for removal from the U.S. following the completion of his sentence.”
The investigations leading to these indictments were conducted by agents from the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station.
Prosecution efforts are led by Assistant United States Attorneys Ava Rotell Dustin, Sara Al-Sorghali, Jennifer King, Robert N. Melching, Matthew D. Simko, Alissa M. Sterling and Tracey Ballard Tangeman.
“These cases are part of Operation Take Back America,” stated officials regarding this Department of Justice initiative aimed at addressing illegal immigration issues nationwide through coordinated enforcement actions against criminal organizations as well as individuals unlawfully present in communities.
An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
