Tito Arias-Castellon, a 26-year-old Honduran national, pleaded guilty on Mar. 26 to one count of unlawful reentry of a removed alien in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address illegal immigration and related offenses. Unlawful reentry is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Arias-Castellon was found unlawfully present in Sequoyah County without having obtained permission from the Secretary of Homeland Security after being previously removed from the United States on October 15, 2018, and January 15, 2020. The charge followed an investigation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which seeks “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 released by authorities.
Magistrate Judge D. Edward Snow accepted Arias-Castellon’s plea and ordered a presentence investigation report. Sentencing will be determined at a later date by a U.S. District Court Judge after considering relevant guidelines and statutory factors. Arias-Castellon remains in custody pending sentencing.
