An Ecuadorian national has been sentenced in Portland, Maine, for illegally entering the United States after a prior removal. U.S. District Court Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Juan Pablo Clabijo Tacuri, 37, to time served, which amounted to approximately 105 days.
Court records indicate that on January 27, 2025, an officer from the Brunswick Police Department noticed Clabijo Tacuri driving without a seatbelt. After he pulled into a gas station parking lot, the officer approached him and requested his license. Clabijo Tacuri presented a Massachusetts driver’s license under a false name. Immigration records revealed that he had been removed from the United States four times previously and lacked any visa or documentation permitting re-entry.
The case was investigated by U.S. Border Patrol with support from the Brunswick Police Department.
This case is part of "Operation Take Back America," described as "a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime." The operation aims to streamline efforts and resources from various task forces within the Department.
