Traffic stop results in conviction for Guatemalan national illegally in U.S.

VICTORIA, Texas – A 32-year-old Guatemalan man who illegally resided in College Station has been convicted of felony reentry after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The federal jury sitting in Victoria returned the guilty verdict against Miguel Angel Puac-Ramirez following a one-day trial and approximately 23 minutes of deliberation.

The jury heard that Osvaldo Vasquez-Vasquez was driving a 2015 Jeep near Yoakum May 9 when he disregarded traffic signals. Puac-Ramirez was the passenger. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and requested Vasquez-Vasquez’s driver’s license as well as identification from Puac-Ramirez. Both men provided Guatemalan identification cards which indicated an address in College Station.

Authorities determined both men were Guatemalan citizens with no legal documentation to be in the United States.

Testimony revealed Puac-Ramirez told Vasquez-Vasquez he had been deported. He replied by saying he should not have said he had identification or shown it to authorities and that doing so caused their “problem.”

The defense attempted to convince the jury the case against Puac-Ramirez lacked the foundation for a conviction by literally piling bricks at the jury box. The illustration was ineffective. They did not believe those claims and found Puac-Ramirez guilty as charged.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and has set sentencing for Nov. 21. At that time, Puac-Ramirez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Vasquez-Vasquez is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest.

Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case.

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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.