South Korean woman pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal re-entry

BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Youngshin Nam a/k/a Yejin Nam, 41, a citizen of South Korea, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to illegal re-entry. She was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that on April 3, 2024, Nam attempted entry by plane at an airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was refused admission to the United States. She was sent back to South Korea and advised that she was no longer eligible to travel under the Visa Waiver Program for five years. In July 2024, Nam was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Texas and removed from the United States in September. On May 4, 2025, Nam attempted entry into the United States at the Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry in Niagara Falls, NY. Nam presented, as proof of identity, a South Korean passport containing the name Yejin Nam. The vehicle was then referred for secondary inspection. Initially, Nam did not comply with routine electronic fingerprinting, before agreeing to submit her fingerprints. This resulted in a positive response revealing that Nam was issued an immigration fingerprint identification number in the name “Youngshin Nam.” The number was issued after Nam’s arrest by Border Patrol agents in Texas in July 2024. Subsequent investigation determined that Nam submitted a falsified application for the Visa Waiver Program, on which Nam falsely and fraudulently answered “NO” to questions concerning her use of any other names or aliases and denied previously being refused admission to the United States.

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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.

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