Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in New Bedford pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.  

Jose De Leon Ventura, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien before U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, who scheduled sentencing for July 14, 2025. De Leon Ventura was arrested on April 23, 2025 and has remained in custody since.  

De Leon Ventura was previously removed from the United States in December 2019, after being arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in Yuma, Ariz. Sometime after his removal, De Leon Ventura unlawfully reentered the United States. Federal authorities became aware of De Leon Ventura’s presence in the United States following his arrest in August 2023 by state authorities for operating under the influence of liquor and operating after a suspended license.

The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentenced imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons is prosecuting the case.