A Honduran national, Miguel Angel Lopez-Mejia, age 32, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in New Orleans for illegal reentry into the United States after having previously been deported. The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to the charging document, Lopez-Mejia was discovered in the United States on October 16, 2025. He had reentered the country without authorization from the Attorney General after being deported on July 15, 2022.
If convicted, Lopez-Mejia faces up to two years in prison, followed by up to one year of supervised release. He could also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson emphasized: “An indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which is described as “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.” The operation coordinates efforts through programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Simpson commended United States Customs and Border Protection for its investigative work on this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters, Jr., from the General Crimes Unit, is leading the prosecution.
