A Honduran national, Jose Luis Matute-Duarte, has admitted guilt to the charge of illegal entry into the United States following a previous removal. The plea was entered at the U.S. District Court in Bangor, Maine.
Details from court records reveal that earlier in the month, a U.S. Border Patrol agent noticed Matute-Duarte acting suspiciously outside a convenience store in Brownville. Matute-Duarte initially claimed he was from New Jersey and presented a New Jersey driver’s license. When questioned about his immigration status, he first hesitated but later admitted his illegal presence. Records indicated that Matute-Duarte had previously been arrested in the U.S. in 2015 and removed from Texas due to illegal entry. He did not have permission from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reapply for entry into the country.
Matute-Duarte is now facing a maximum of two years in prison and a fine that could go up to $250,000. Sentencing will occur after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigative report. A federal district court judge will then consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other factors before making a decision.
The investigation was handled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at tackling illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguarding communities from violent crime. The operation is supported by a collaboration of resources and efforts from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.