Honduran National with History of Illegally Reentering the United States Sentenced to Federal Prison

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Franklyn Leonel Venturas-Calderon, age 28, of Villanueva, Cortes, Honduras, to 37 months in federal prison following his second conviction for illegal re-entry into the United States by a removed alien.

According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on June 28, 2021, agents with the United States Border Patrol came into contact with Venturas-Calderon at the Livingston Parish Detention Center, following his arrest by the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office.  Based on identifying information he provided during the course of his arrest, Border Patrol confirmed Venturas-Calderon’s true identity as a Honduran citizen.  Immigration records and databases establish that Venturas-Calderon has no lawful status to live, work, or reside in the United States, and further, that he has never applied for or been granted permission to enter the United States by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. 

This sentence follows Venturas-Calderon’s May 9, 2022, conviction for aggravated assault with a firearm in the 21st Judicial District Court, in Livingston Parish, for which he was sentenced to two years at hard labor.  The Court specified that Venturas-Calderon’s federal sentence would run concurrently with that sentence.

This matter was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caroline Gardner.