Two Illegal Aliens from Mexico Plead Guilty to Unlawful Return After Removal

Gulfport, Miss. – Osvaldo Martinez-Zamora, 44, and Mauricio Munoz-Martinez, 45, both citizens of Mexico, pled guilty yesterday to unlawful reentry by an alien after deportation or removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.  

Martinez-Zamora previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden and will be sentenced on February 18, 2020 at 9:30 a.m.  Munoz-Martinez pled guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. and will be sentenced on February 11, 2020, at 1:30 p.m.  Both men face a potential 2 years in prison, 1 year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine, as well as Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings.

On September 12, 2019, an agent with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office Interdiction Unit stopped a 2019 black sport utility vehicle on Interstate 10 eastbound.   Indicators of illegal alien smuggling were detected, and a Border Patrol Agent arrived to assist.  Agents made contact with the driver of the vehicle, and the front seat passenger, who was the driver’s husband.    Among the passengers were three men, including Martinez-Zamora and Munoz-Martinez, who were illegal aliens in the United States who had returned after being formally removed from the United States.  All vehicle occupants were transported to the Border Patrol Station in Gulfport, for further processing and investigation.

Defendants Martinez-Zamora and Munoz-Martinez were determined to have entered the United States through Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, about four days before their arrest in Mississippi.  It was learned that both men had been previously ordered removed from the United States, and had been physically removed pursuant to their removal orders. 

U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.