A federal grand jury in Louisville has charged a Honduran national with illegal reentry and identity-related offenses. Vidal Ricardo Murillo-Zuniga, aged 34, is accused of reentering the United States unlawfully, committing social security fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
The U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett from the Western District of Kentucky, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Rana Saoud in Nashville, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, jointly announced the indictment.
Original charges state Murillo-Zuniga was found in the U.S. on January 22, 2025, after having been previously deported on May 29, 2013. Additional charges allege that on June 13, 2024, he used someone else's social security number and identity to secure a job in Nelson County, Kentucky. The identity theft carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of two years.
Murillo-Zuniga has appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and is being held pending trial. If convicted, he could face up to nine years in prison. Sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge based on federal guidelines and other statutory factors. The federal system does not allow for parole.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, aimed at combating illegal immigration and crime related to transnational organizations. The investigation is led by Homeland Security Investigations and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. Prosecuting the case is Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari.
The indictment against Murillo-Zuniga is merely an accusation, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
