Honduran National Charged with Illegally Reentering the U.S.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MARLON AMAYA-LOPEZ, also known as Elder Figueroa, 33, a citizen of Honduras residing in Bridgeport, was arrested yesterday on an indictment charging him with one count of illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.

The indictment was returned on May 11, 2021 and unsealed yesterday after Amaya-Lopez was located and arrested.  He appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport, entered a plea of not guilty to the charge, and was ordered detained pending trial.

As alleged in the indictment, Amaya-Lopez was previously deported and removed from the U.S. to Honduras following a felony conviction in April 2007 in Connecticut Superior Court for attempted robbery in the second degree.  He reentered the U.S. and returned to Connecticut without obtaining the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or his successor, the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, to reapply for admission into the U.S.

If convicted of the charge of illegal reentry, Amaya-Lopez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  The penalties in this matter are enhanced based on his prior conviction for a felony.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Stephanie T. Levick.