Honduras Man Sentenced to Time Served (Over Seven Months) for Entering the U.S. After Removal

Portland, Maine:  United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Mario Ernesto Garcia-Zavala, 22, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by George Z. Singal to time served (about 221 days) after being found guilty of having entered the United States after being removed.  He was convicted following a non-jury trial on March 21, 2018.

The evidence at trial showed that Garcia-Zavala unlawfully entered the United States in about March 2014 and was ordered removed to Honduras on March 29, 2014.  Four days later, immigration authorities returned him to Honduras.  Garcia-Zavala did not apply for permission to reenter the United States. He was arrested in Portland on September 9, 2017 after a Maine State Trooper stopped the van in which he was a passenger for traffic violations.

U.S. Attorney Frank said: “We have a lawful system of immigration. We appreciate it when our state and local law enforcement partners help us identify people who cross our borders illegally, often, as here, repeatedly.”

The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Removal Operations and the Maine State Police.