A Mexican national has been sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor for making a false statement to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent. U.S. District Judge Stacey Neumann sentenced Felipe De Jesus Zavala Medel, 64, to time served, which amounted to approximately 104 days of detention since January 29, 2025.
Court records reveal that in January 2025, Zavala Medel approached the Coburn Gore port of entry from Canada and presented a North Dakota driver’s license under the name “Johny Joe Olivo” along with other identifying documents to the CBP agent. He falsely claimed he was born in Texas and completed a Customs Declaration form with this incorrect information. During further questioning, Zavala Medel admitted he lacked legal documentation to enter, reside, or work in the United States.
Following the proceedings, Zavala Medel was handed over to immigration authorities. The case was investigated by CBP and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing illegal immigration and combating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators. The operation utilizes resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).