A Mexican citizen, Javier Amateco-Navarrette, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor to reentering the United States illegally after having been previously removed from the country twice in 2018. The plea was entered following a traffic stop by U.S. Border Patrol on September 16, 2025, in Oakland, Maine, where Amateco-Navarrette admitted his citizenship and illegal status.
Amateco-Navarrette could face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing will take place after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigative report. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, which coordinates Department of Justice resources to address illegal immigration and target cartels and transnational criminal organizations through programs like Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
"Operation Take Back America: 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)."
