Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, provided updates on seven immigration-related cases in the district.
The announcement follows executive orders signed by the President on Jan. 20 that direct federal agencies to prioritize enforcement of immigration laws. The orders emphasize national security and public safety, instructing the Department of Justice to focus on prosecuting criminal offenses related to unauthorized entry or continued unauthorized presence in the United States.
One case involves Wilber Alexander Andrade-Castellon, a Salvadoran national who was removed from the United States three times between 2004 and 2015. After re-entering illegally following his last removal, he was arrested in Fairfax County and pled guilty on May 14 to illegal reentry.
Daniel Alberto Urbina Romero, a Honduran national convicted in Virginia for abduction with intent to defile and aggravated sexual battery in 2018, was removed from the country in January 2023. He returned unlawfully and pled guilty on July 31 after being discovered during a traffic stop.
Carlos Antonio Flores Monroy, another Salvadoran national, entered the United States illegally in 2001 and was ordered removed by an Immigration Judge in 2007. He was arrested again earlier this year in Richmond for carrying a concealed weapon and later pled guilty to illegal reentry.
Maynor Dionicio Hernandez-Reyes from Honduras was deported in August 2021 but re-entered unlawfully. ICE agents discovered him at a jail facility in James City County; he pled guilty to illegal reentry on Aug. 7.
Jose Adoney Monge-Santos, also from Honduras, had been removed three times previously after multiple arrests for public intoxication and other charges. He faced new allegations including assault and gang recruitment before pleading guilty to illegal reentry on Aug. 11.
Miguel Angel Alvarado Cordero of El Salvador was first removed from the U.S. in February 2022 but returned unlawfully after facing several felony charges in Fairfax County. He pled guilty to illegal reentry on Aug. 6.
Wilmer Roberto Lopez-Mejia entered the country illegally from Honduras and has prior convictions including unlawful wounding stemming from an incident involving serious violence against his partner. After being removed post-incarceration, he returned unlawfully; he pled guilty this April and is awaiting sentencing.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, which is 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime," according to Siebert's office.
Further information about these cases can be found through official channels such as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, as well as through PACER using relevant case numbers.
