Tampa, FL – Federal authorities announced charges against 125 individuals for immigration-related offenses in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, ending March 31. A significant majority, over 100 defendants, faced grand jury indictments, while others were charged via criminal complaints. Notably, 119 individuals were accused of illegally reentering the United States.
During this period, 58 cases concluded with guilty pleas, and 62 defendants received sentences for illegal reentry or other immigration-related offenses. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe emphasized the commitment of the Attorney’s Office to uphold federal immigration laws, collaborating with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to address illegal entry into the country.
These recent charges fall under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the Department of Justice. The operation aims to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. The initiative integrates resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Key Cases in Q2 FY 2025:
Horus Samuel Marquez Villatoro, a Mexican citizen, received a sentence of three years and nine months in federal prison for illegal reentry and possession of a firearm and ammunition. Marquez Villatoro had been deported three times prior to his unlawful return. In January 2024, authorities found him in Hillsborough County with a Glock 17 pistol, an extended magazine, and over 100 rounds of ammunition.
Ricardo Fermin Sune-Giron, a Guatemalan citizen, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy. Operating under an alias, Sune-Giron was part of a large-scale operation that illegally acquired firearms from licensed dealers in Florida and smuggled them overseas. His activities, between 2023 and 2024, involved the trafficking of over 1,000 firearms, some of which were later linked to crime scenes. In April 2024, coordinated search operations in Orlando led to the recovery of 57 firearms and other illegal materials.
Elmer Edin Chavarria-Morales, a Honduran citizen, was sentenced to three years and ten months for illegal reentry. Previously deported after a 2018 rape conviction in Indiana, Chavarria-Morales reentered the U.S., was convicted again in 2021, and removed in 2022. He was found again in the U.S. in April 2024 following an arrest for domestic violence in Daytona Beach.
Yudelkis Portes, a Dominican Republic citizen, received a three-year and one-month sentence for illegal reentry. Previously deported after a 2013 conviction for conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, Portes illegally returned to the U.S. and was located in the Middle District of Florida.
These cases underscore the ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address and prosecute immigration-related offenses.
