Four individuals have been charged with illegal re-entry into the United States, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo in Buffalo, New York. The charges stem from separate criminal complaints and carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The defendants named are Eleo Francisco Lemus-Moreno, 40, originally from Honduras; Douglas Noel Barahona-Martinez, 37, and Jose Mardoqueo Guevara-Pereira, 38, both from El Salvador; and Diego Ignacio Sohom Tambriz, also known as Hector Torres-Enriques, 40, from Guatemala.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas is handling the cases. According to the complaints:
On December 4, 2025, law enforcement encountered Lemus-Moreno in Williamsville, NY. He admitted he was in the country illegally without valid immigration status and was taken into custody. Investigators determined that Lemus-Moreno had previously been removed from the United States in May 2010 and March 2020.
Barahona-Martinez was stopped by law enforcement on December 3 during a traffic stop in Lancaster, NY. He admitted to being present illegally without any valid immigration documents and was detained. Authorities found that he had been removed from the United States in August 2014.
Sohom Tambriz was encountered on December 3 in Cheektowaga, NY. He stated that he was illegally present without proper documentation and was taken into custody. Records showed he had been removed previously in May 2008 and June 2018.
On December 2 in Amherst, NY, Guevara-Pereira was stopped during a traffic incident. He told officers he did not have valid immigration documents and further investigation confirmed his previous removal from the United States in July 2014.
All four defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy for initial hearings and were detained pending further proceedings.
"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," according to officials.
The investigation leading to these charges involved Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol under Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato’s direction.
Authorities emphasized: "The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty."
