Maynor Perez Baten, a Guatemalan national, was found guilty on Mar. 11 in federal court in Brooklyn of illegally reentering the United States after being deported following an aggravated felony conviction. The verdict came after a two-day trial before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes. Perez Baten faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to prosecute individuals who return to the country unlawfully after serious criminal convictions. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York supports community outreach and victim assistance efforts, according to the official website.
United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. said, “With today’s verdict, the defendant has been held accountable for brazenly re-entering the United States after he was deported for a serious felony conviction, the attempted rape of a child, and then endangering the community once again by driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.” Nocella added that Perez Baten “clearly has no respect for the laws of our nation and will be returned to Guatemala after completing his sentence.”
Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations New York, said, “Maynor Perez Baten's attempted rape of a child and his subsequent decision to illegally re-enter the United States highlight his flagrant and repeated disregard for the criminal justice system. His choice to return after removal, without authorization and despite his depraved felony record, demonstrates a brazen contempt for community safety and the rule of law that protects it. I commend personnel from HSI New York and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York for their unyielding commitment to identifying, investigating, and arresting violent offenders who pose a threat to those we are sworn to serve.”
Court records show that Perez Baten first entered the United States illegally in 2009. He was arrested in May 2011 on charges related to first-degree rape involving a 12-year-old victim and later convicted of attempted rape in October 2011. After serving his sentence and being deported in April 2014, he returned illegally again before being arrested by New York City Police Department officers for driving while intoxicated on Staten Island. In April 2024, he was indicted by a grand jury in Brooklyn.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York handles federal crime prosecutions and civil matters representation for its district as reported by its official website. The office maintains locations in Brooklyn and Central Islip and covers areas including Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, and Suffolk County according to its official website. Breon Peace leads as United States Attorney as noted on its official website.
The government’s case is managed by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent Chiappini with support from Paralegal Specialist Cleon Thomas.
