A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after being found in the United States without authorization, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Baldemar Duarte-Nieto, 46, admitted to one count of illegal reentry. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $100,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy will determine his sentence at a hearing scheduled for March 13, 2026. Duarte-Nieto remains in custody until further proceedings.
According to court documents, law enforcement encountered Duarte-Nieto on June 26, 2025, in Kalispell following a vehicle and foot pursuit that reached speeds of 80 mph in a residential area. During the chase, he collided with a Toyota Camry carrying four people. Authorities used a K-9 unit to apprehend him. At the time of his arrest, Duarte-Nieto had an outstanding warrant from Washington state for unlawful delivery of heroin.
Records show that Duarte-Nieto was first removed from the United States in either 1996 or 1997 and again in 2000. He was removed once more just a week later and received a 20-year bar from reentering the country. His most recent removal occurred in November 2021 after an Immigration Judge determined he had used an assumed identity for about two decades.
Duarte-Nieto’s criminal history includes convictions for assault with a weapon (Pacific County, Washington, 1996), carjacking (Claremont, California, 2002), conspiracy to bring controlled substances into prison (Susanville, California, 2006), and making false statements (Western District of Washington, 2012). There is no evidence that he ever applied for legal readmission into the United States.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigations conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.
"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)."
