United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced on April 17 that Federico Mendez-Francisco, a Guatemalan national and convicted felon, was sentenced to twenty-four months in prison for illegally re-entering the United States after being removed. United States District Court Judge Brandon S. Long handed down the sentence on April 14, ordering that it be served consecutively to any other sentence. Mendez-Francisco, age 44, must also serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment and pay a $100 special assessment.
This case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address illegal immigration and related offenses in Southeast Louisiana. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana enhances community safety through law enforcement efforts, according to the official website.
Court documents show that Mendez-Francisco pled guilty on May 15, 2024, to a felony offense of Domestic Abuse-Child under 13 Present in Jefferson Parish’s 24th Judicial District Court. He had previously been removed from the United States three times: November 3, 2005; February 11, 2010; and July 3, 2024. Law enforcement found him again in Jefferson Parish on May 2, 2025; he had not received permission from either the U.S. Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security to return.
Courcelle said he praised “the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (‘ICE-ERO’) in investigating this matter.” Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana operates under the U.S. Department of Justice and holds responsibility as chief federal law enforcement officer for Southeast Louisiana according to its official website. The office enforces federal laws to protect residents by prosecuting criminal cases and defending civil matters according to its official website.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aiming at countering illegal immigration and eliminating transnational criminal organizations through coordinated Department of Justice resources.
