Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After Prior Removal

NEW ORLEANS — Ubaldo Yasir Amaya-Colindres, a 27-year-old citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026, to illegal reentry after removal from the United States, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana announced.

The single-count charge under Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) applies to any noncitizen who has been previously removed and reenters without permission. Amaya-Colindres faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine, though actual sentencing will depend on federal guidelines that account for criminal history and other factors.

His sentencing hearing is set for June 25, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon.

The plea resolves a federal prosecution brought in the Eastern District of Louisiana. The statute requires proof of a prior removal order followed by unlawful reentry; the government must establish both elements at trial if a defendant does not plead.

This case produces three immediate operational effects. First, the June 25 sentencing date now triggers preparation of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. Second, it clears the case from the court’s trial docket, freeing resources for other immigration and criminal matters in a district that handles a high volume of border-related prosecutions.

Third, final judgment will activate standard post-sentencing processes including potential additional removal proceedings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement once any prison term ends.

The guilty plea constitutes the latest federal enforcement action under Section 1326. The Department of Justice has used the statute for decades to prosecute repeat illegal reentries; data from prior years show thousands of such cases filed annually across southern border districts.

The Eastern District of Louisiana, while not a border district, receives cases involving individuals encountered or arrested within its jurisdiction after reentry.

Sentencing remains subject to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and any applicable statutory minimums or maximums. No additional charges against Amaya-Colindres are noted in the announcement.