U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced on May 4 that Lucas Tinoco-Tieres, a 42-year-old native of Guatemala, was sentenced for reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
Tinoco-Tieres was found in St. Tammany Parish on or around February 18, 2025. He had previously been deported to Guatemala on February 23, 2007.
United States District Judge Lance M. Africk sentenced Tinoco-Tieres to twenty-one months in prison and one year of supervised release. The court also ordered a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. After completing his sentence, Tinoco-Tieres will be deported to Guatemala.
Courcelle praised the work of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis from the General Crimes Unit is overseeing the prosecution.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, described as "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, Operation Take Back America brings together efforts from Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
