Guatemalan National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S. and Making False Statements on Immigration Applications

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that MARCOS ISMALEJ IXPANCOC, also known as Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez, 39, a citizen of Guatemala residing in Stamford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported and making false statements on applications for immigration benefits.

Ixpancoc was arrested today.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2006, Ixpancoc was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona.  He identified himself to U.S. Border Patrol as Marcos Hernandez Lopez, claimed to be a citizen of Mexico, and was issued a voluntary return to Mexico.  In August 2012, Ixpancoc was again apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Texas.  He identified himself as Jose Ernandez and claimed to be a citizen of Guatemala.  He was removed to Guatemala in September 2012.  In June 2023, Ixpancoc submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) an application for legal permanent residency and work authorization under his true name and listed a home address in Stamford.  The fingerprints that USCIS collected in connection with those applications matched those collected when he was apprehended and removed under the names Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez in 2006 and 2012.

It is further alleged that in Ixpancoc’s applications to USCIS, Ixpancoc falsely denied ever using any names other than Ixpancoc, falsely denied ever having been issued a final order of removal, and falsely denied ever having been removed from the U.S.  In addition, in connection with his application for legal permanent residency, Ixpancoc submitted a petition under the Violence Against Women Act claiming that he was the victim of abuse by a U.S. citizen spouse or child, and that his abuser was his son.  However, his son was two years old at the time he filed the petition.  Ixpancoc signed each of these applications under penalty of perjury.

If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Ixpancoc faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.  If convicted of the charge of making false statements on applications for immigration benefits, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.