Baltimore, Maryland - Bayron Leopoldo Perez Batres, 63, a Guatemalan national, made his initial appearance, today, in U.S. federal court in the District of Maryland. Perez Batres is charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Maryland.

According to the indictment, Perez Batres, who resided in Beltsville, Maryland, unlawfully reentered the United States after he was removed on three separate occasions - in January 1996, September 2009, and May 2010. He did not received consent from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States, as required by law.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

If convicted, Perez Batres faces up to two years in federal prison. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation and indictment were coordinated and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department's lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). JTFA also leads and supports U.S. Attorneys' Offices in the prosecution of crimes related to unaccompanied alien children (UACs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA's mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/ HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA's work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.

Additionally, this prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from various federal, state, and local agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.

This case is also 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.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaShanta Harris, and Trial Attorneys Matthew Thiman and Sean F. Mulryne of the Justice Department's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visitjustice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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