Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson has announced the indictment of Nelson Alexander Ochoa-Vega, a 32-year-old native of Honduras, for reentry of a removed alien. The indictment was unsealed on March 13, 2025. Ochoa-Vega was found in Jefferson Parish around March 10, 2025, after having been deported to Honduras on November 6, 2019.
If convicted, Ochoa-Vega faces a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Simpson emphasized that an indictment is merely a charge and the defendant's guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Simpson commended the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for their investigation efforts. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis from the General Crimes Unit is leading the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, which utilizes resources from the Department of Justice to address illegal immigration and combat transnational criminal organizations. The initiative also involves efforts from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.