A Guatemalan national, Edin Julian Hernandez Mejia, 23, has pleaded guilty to re-entry of a removed alien in federal court. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced the plea and sentencing before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., where Hernandez Mejia received a three-month prison sentence. Following his incarceration, he will be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith stated that Hernandez Mejia did not have legal status in the United States and had previously been physically removed from the country in February and March 2024. On August 5, 2025, he was discovered by United States Border Patrol in Erie County, New York, without documentation permitting him to be present in the country.
“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 information provided.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Border Patrol under the leadership of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
