Citizen Of Mexico Indicted On Illegal Reentry Charge

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Leonardo Mendoza-Zavala, age 44, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on a charge of illegal reentry. 

According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about June 21, 2025, Mendoza-Zavlawas found in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, after previously having been removed from the United States. The indictment also alleges that Mendoza-Zavala had been removed from the United States on January 6, 2020, through Laredo, Texas, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so. 

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiate 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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