Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Guatemalan national, Leonardo Fernando Batz, has been convicted for unlawfully reentering the United States. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The jury reached a verdict in less than an hour, concluding a three-day trial.
Batz was initially found in Harris County on November 23, 2023. Investigations revealed Batz was not a U.S. citizen and had previously been ordered to leave by an immigration judge. He had been deported twice before, once in 2007 and again in 2020.
During the trial, a Border Patrol agent recounted encountering Batz in the Rio Grande Valley in 2019. Batz reportedly crossed the Rio Grande River using a raft and had previously pleaded guilty. A deportation officer also testified about accompanying Batz on a deportation flight to Guatemala in 2020.
The jury was presented with evidence that included Batz's Guatemalan passport, a travel pass issued by the Guatemalan consulate, and other documents from his alien file. A fingerprint expert confirmed Batz's identity as the same individual documented in various deportation records.
Despite attempts by the defense to question the government's evidence, the jury found Batz guilty. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt presided over the trial and scheduled sentencing for May 1, 2025. Batz could face up to two years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody until sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, with prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Valenti and Carrie Law. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, aimed at combating illegal immigration, cartels, and transnational criminal organizations.
