Wilson Paul Loja-Angamarca, a 28-year-old citizen of Ecuador, has pleaded guilty to the charge of re-entry of a removed alien in federal court. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara in Buffalo, New York. Loja-Angamarca was sentenced to time served and subsequently transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith stated that Loja-Angamarca did not have legal status in the United States and had previously been removed from the country in October 2019. He was discovered on July 24, 2025, in Cattaraugus County, New York, without documentation permitting his presence in the United States.
“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.”
The investigation leading to Loja-Angamarca’s arrest was conducted by U.S. Border Patrol under Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato.
