A Honduran man, Denis Ramon Flores Ortez, has entered a guilty plea for the offense of unlawful reentry into the United States following deportation. The plea was made on April 16, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport, Mississippi. According to court documents, Flores Ortez, aged 40, faces a maximum prison sentence of two years. A federal judge will determine the final sentence considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory factors. Following the completion of any prison term, he may face removal proceedings carried out by Homeland Security.
The case traces back to February 3, 2025, when Flores Ortez was encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center in Gulfport. Records revealed him as an illegal alien, previously removed from the United States. Flores Ortez first unlawfully entered the U.S. in 2004 and was given the option of a voluntary departure instead of removal. He reentered illegally in 2010, was apprehended by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Jackson County, and removed following a removal order. He once again entered the U.S. unlawfully after this removal, leading to his arrest in Gulfport in 2025.
The announcement was made by Patrick A. Lemon, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, along with Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case. Lemon said: "This case underscores the persistent efforts to ensure the safety of our communities from illegal immigration and associated crimes."
The prosecution of Flores Ortez is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative focused on mitigating illegal immigration and combating cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The initiative aligns efforts from the Department of Justice, including Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.