WALYSTTON HENRIQUE DE SOUZA, a 32-year-old native of Brazil, was indicted on April 9 for illegal reentry after removal, according to an April 13 announcement by United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
The indictment follows De Souza’s discovery in St. Tammany Parish on March 31. Court documents state that De Souza had previously been convicted of violating federal immigration law and was removed to Brazil on July 2, 2021.
If found guilty, De Souza faces up to two years in prison, followed by as much as one year of supervised release. He could also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Courcelle said that “an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to use Department of Justice resources against illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations. The initiative brings together efforts from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods programs.
Courcelle praised the United States Customs and Border Patrol for its investigation into this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., from the General Crimes Unit, is overseeing the prosecution.
