Executive Summary
Laws and Precedent
United States Attorney John P. Heekin today announced that a federal grand jury has returned five separate indictments against individuals previously deported from the United States, charging them with illegal reentry. The defendants were apprehended across Escambia, Walton, and Bay counties in Florida between April and July 2025, following their alleged unlawful return to the country.
Details of the Indictments
Narciso Oswaldo Moreno-Zepeda, 42, of Honduras, faces charges after allegedly reentering the U.S. illegally and being located in Escambia County in June 2025. Moreno-Zepeda had been previously deported in 2014, and his trial is scheduled for October 6, 2025, before United States District Judge M. Casey Rogers.
Also indicted were Hector Chaves-Morales, 27, of Guatemala, who was found in Walton County in May 2025 after a 2016 deportation, and Franklin David Zelaya-Funez, 32, of Honduras, located in Escambia County in June 2025 following a 2021 deportation. Both of their cases are currently pending.
Kevin Noel Ochoa-Venegas, 32, of Honduras, was apprehended in Bay County in April 2025. He faces charges for allegedly reentering the country illegally after two prior deportations in 2016 and 2021. His trial is set for September 22, 2025, before United States District Judge Mark Walker.
Edwin Martinez-Cruz, 38, of Honduras, was located in Escambia County in July 2025, having previously been deported in 2022. His trial is slated for October 20, 2025, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
Penalties and Enforcement
The federal penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation typically carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. However, due to alleged prior convictions, Ochoa-Venegas could face an increased maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, in addition to a $250,000 fine.
These cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). They have received assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton, Alicia H. Forbes, Brooke DiSalvo, and Justin M. Keen are prosecuting the cases.
Legal Safeguards
It is important to note that an indictment represents an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has violated federal criminal law; it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial, during which the government bears the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These indictments underscore ongoing efforts by federal and local law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration laws and address illegal reentry into the United States within the Northern District of Florida.
