Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Guatemalan national living in West Springfield, Massachusetts, has been sentenced in federal court for possessing a forged immigration document and illegally reentering the United States after being deported. Jose Martinez-Lopez, also known as “Amalio Mendez-Molina,” 33, received a sentence of time served—163 days in prison—from U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni. Martinez-Lopez now faces deportation.
Martinez-Lopez pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count each of possession of a forged immigration document and unlawful reentry of a deported alien. He was arrested in March 2025.
According to court records, Martinez-Lopez was first removed from the United States to Guatemala on August 28, 2009, after entering the country illegally at an unknown date. After his removal, he unlawfully reentered the U.S., but was deported again on May 10, 2011. He entered the country illegally for a third time and was convicted in Phoenix, Arizona, on August 8, 2011, for human smuggling conspiracy and sentenced to one year of probation. On August 23, 2011, he was removed from the U.S. once more.
Following that removal, Martinez-Lopez returned to the United States without authorization for a fourth time. He was arrested twice in Cook County, Illinois—on November 25, 2022 and June 17, 2023—for domestic battery/bodily harm charges. In both instances immigration authorities lodged detainers; however, he was released from state custody before any removal action could be taken.
On March 10, 2025, Martinez-Lopez was arrested in West Springfield for assault and battery on a police officer. This arrest led to his apprehension by immigration authorities who found him with a forged permanent resident card under the name “Amalio Mendez-Molina.” The following day he admitted to authorities that he had re-entered the country illegally in 2021.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley stated: “United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow prosecuted the case.
