A Mexican national, Daniel Yepez-Gaytan, 41, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien in federal court, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. The plea was entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto in Missoula. Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2025, with U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presiding.
Yepez-Gaytan faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He remains detained pending further proceedings.
Court documents state that on April 23, 2025, Yepez-Gaytan—also known as Daniel Guzman-Calderon—was found in Bozeman, Montana after law enforcement stopped the pickup truck he was driving. He presented a Washington State driver’s license but was determined to be present in the United States illegally after authorities checked government databases.
According to prosecutors, Yepez-Gaytan admitted his identity and nationality and acknowledged entering the country illegally without applying for permission from the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security following previous removals.
Records show Yepez-Gaytan was first deported on July 30, 2004 through El Paso, Texas and subsequently removed three more times, most recently on November 14, 2013 through Laredo, Texas. He also has two prior convictions from 2011 for illegal entry and illegal reentry.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).”
