A 50-year-old Honduran national living in Houston has pleaded guilty to unlawfully reentering the United States, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Danilo Nunez-Avila, who has a history of multiple convictions for illegal reentry, was first removed from the country in 1991. Court documents indicate that authorities have deported him at least eight times before this most recent incident.
Authorities discovered Nunez-Avila back in the United States on October 29, 2024, after responding to a report of an assault involving a family member.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett accepted Nunez-Avila’s plea and scheduled sentencing for March 21. At sentencing, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible maximum fine of $250,000. Nunez-Avila remains in custody until that time.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ekua Assabill is prosecuting the case.
"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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime."
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas oversees prosecutions for federal crimes and civil cases for the government across 43 counties with more than nine million residents. The office employs over 200 attorneys and operates locations in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville as part of its responsibilities under the U.S. Department of Justice and Attorney General (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/about-us). Notable former leaders include Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/former-leaders).
