Jose Melvin Lopez-Lorenzo, a 29-year-old Honduran national, has been indicted for re-entering the United States following removal. The indictment, returned on April 24, 2025, indicates that Lopez-Lorenzo was discovered in the U.S. on April 10, 2025, without authorization, after a previous deportation on July 26, 2018. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson made the announcement.
Lopez-Lorenzo is facing several potential penalties, including up to two years in prison, a fine that could reach $250,000, a maximum of one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson emphasized, "An indictment is merely a charge, and the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt."
Simpson also recognized the efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol in their investigation. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, which is a national initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at countering illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguarding communities from violent crime. Operation Take Back America utilizes resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
