The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has announced that Erikx Soto-Gomez, a 41-year-old citizen of Guatemala, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly reentering the United States illegally after being previously removed. Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus detailed that Soto-Gomez was initially removed from the United States on July 23, 2012, through Harlingen, Texas. The indictment further claims that Soto-Gomez was found in the United States without legal permission on April 10, 2025, while in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is leading the prosecution of the case.
This legal action is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration and dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The operation draws on resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
If convicted, Soto-Gomez faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, followed by a supervised release term and a fine. Sentencing will consider federal statutes and guidelines upon a finding of guilt by a judge.
It is important to note that indictments and criminal charges are allegations, and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
