A Guatemalan citizen, Derli Francisco De Souza, 59, pleaded guilty on October 9, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally re-entering the United States after being previously removed.
Court documents indicate that De Souza was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Brunswick police for speeding in August 2025. During the stop, he identified himself as a Guatemalan national. Immigration records confirmed that he had been deported from the United States in 2011 and did not possess valid documentation or a visa to lawfully return.
De Souza could face up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to one year of supervised release. 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 statutory factors.
The case was investigated by U.S. Border Patrol.
According to the Department of Justice, "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."
An editor’s note explained that although this matter occurred earlier, "This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations."
