A Guatemalan national has been indicted for illegal re-entry into the United States following a prior removal, according to an announcement by Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson on August 7, 2025.
The individual, identified as FEDERICO MENDEZ-FRANCISCO, also known by several aliases including “JORGE SANTOS ARROYO,” “JORGE A. GORDILLO,” “FEDERICO MENDEZ,” “FREDERICO MENDEZ,” and “FEDERICO MENDEZ FRANCISCO,” is 40 years old and a native of Guatemala. Court documents state that MENDEZ-FRANCISCO was found in Jefferson Parish on May 2, 2025. He had previously been removed from the United States on July 3, 2024, and had not obtained permission from either the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to return.
Records indicate that prior to his removal, on August 24, 2005, MENDEZ-FRANCISCO pled guilty to felony forgery in Pike County, Missouri.
If convicted under Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a)(b)(1), MENDEZ-FRANCISCO could face up to ten years in prison, a fine reaching $250,000, up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
“An indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson.
Simpson commended Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) for their investigative work in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans from the General Crimes Unit is handling prosecution duties.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative designed to coordinate resources across agencies within the Department of Justice with aims including combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels as well as transnational criminal organizations.
