Acting U.S. Attorney Joel L. Violanti announced the arrest of two Honduran nationals, Javier Antonio Cruz and Junior Eduardo Garcia Castro, in Buffalo, New York. Both individuals face charges of illegal re-entry after deportation, which could result in a maximum sentence of two years in prison.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Rudroff and Andrew J. Henning. According to the complaint, on February 18, 2025, the North Tonawanda Police Department conducted a traffic stop on Niagara Falls Boulevard where both defendants were passengers.
A records check revealed that Cruz was previously convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Irving, Texas, in 2020. He had been ordered removed by an immigration judge multiple times and was deported from the United States in 2018 and again in 2024.
Further investigation showed that Castro has faced multiple charges for driving without a license in Georgia. He too had been ordered removed several times and was deported from the U.S. once in 2018 and twice more in April 2022.
Both Cruz and Castro made their initial court appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and are currently detained.
This investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations under Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan's direction and Customs and Border Protection led by Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
It is important to note that charging someone with a crime is merely an accusation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.