Oscar Francisco Avila-Norales, age 47, was sentenced on March 24 after pleading guilty to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, according to United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address unauthorized entry into the United States and enforce immigration laws.
Court documents show that Avila-Norales was discovered in Texas in 2012 after returning to the country without authorization following his deportation on October 3, 2012. He had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States to re-enter.
United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced Avila-Norales to time served, one year of supervised release, and imposed a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The court also ordered that he be removed back to Honduras.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, described as a nationwide initiative aimed at countering illegal immigration and dismantling criminal organizations. The operation involves resources from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods programs.
Courcelle said Immigration and Customs Enforcement played an important role in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., from the General Crimes Unit, oversaw the prosecution.
