An Ecuadorian national, Juan Pablo Clabijo Tacuri, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court in Portland for illegal re-entry into the United States after a previous removal. According to court records, Clabijo Tacuri, 37, was stopped by a Brunswick Police Department officer on January 27, 2025, for not wearing a seatbelt while driving. When asked for his license, he presented a Massachusetts driver's license with a false name. Immigration records revealed Clabijo Tacuri had been removed from the U.S. four times previously and lacked the necessary documentation for re-entry.
Clabijo Tacuri could face a maximum of two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentence will be decided after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigative report. A federal district court judge will set the sentence based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory considerations.
The case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with assistance from the Brunswick Police Department.
The prosecution is part of "Operation Take Back America," a nationwide initiative organized by the Department of Justice to address illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and combat violent crime in communities. This initiative combines resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).