Guatemalan Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry and Firearm Possession

A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Florida indicted Selvin J. Tello-Perez, a 24-year-old from Guatemala, on May 4, 2026, for illegal reentry by a removed alien and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, per the U.S. Department of Justice press release.

The indictment affects Tello-Perez directly as the sole named defendant, exposing him to federal prosecution in the Pensacola division of the district court. No additional individuals or broader populations are mentioned in the Justice Department document, which focuses on this single case involving one person.

Before the indictment, Tello-Perez had been removed from the U.S. at least once, per the charge of illegal reentry, and was not authorized to possess firearms under federal law. The new charges shift his status to a federal defendant facing trial, with arraignment and potential pretrial detention to follow under standard federal procedures.

The changes take effect immediately upon indictment, with court dates set by the district judge.

Conviction on illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. § 1326 carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison for basic offenses, escalating to 10 or 20 years if prior convictions or aggravating factors apply, based on the statute's uncontested provisions. The firearm possession charge under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5) allows for up to 15 years imprisonment, per the statute, and would require the U.S. Attorney's Office to proceed to trial or negotiate a plea.

Immigration authorities must initiate removal proceedings upon any conviction, per standard enforcement under the Immigration and Nationality Act, delaying release until deportation.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida issued the press release on the indictment date, aligning with routine Justice Department announcements on immigration enforcement cases. Federal grand juries in this district have handled similar charges in recent years, as documented in public Justice Department records.