U.S. Department
of Justice
Press Release
Honduran Illegal Alien Charged With Reentry of a Removed Alien
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HECTOR ESPINOZA-CRUZ, age 41, a native of Honduras, was charged on August 21, 2026, via bill of information, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, immigration officials learned of ESPINOZA‑CRUZ’s presence in the United States after he was arrested in Orleans Parish for an obscenity violation that occurred in 2025. Following that notification, ESPINOZA‑CRUZ was arrested by immigration authorities in Orleans Parish on August 12, 2026, for illegal reentry. Immigration records indicate that ESPINOZA‑CRUZ is an illegal alien from Honduras and had previously been removed by federal authorities on February 24, 2010.
If convicted, ESPINOZA-CRUZ faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security and Immigration Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is overseeing the prosecution.
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.
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Contact
Shane M. Jones
Public Information Officer
United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana
United States Department of Justice
Updated September 1, 2026
Topic
Operation Take Back America
Component