United States District Court Judge Brandon S. Long sentenced Federico Mendez-Francisco, a native of Guatemala, to 24 months in prison for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced on April 17. The sentence will be served consecutively to any other sentence, and Mendez-Francisco must also serve three years of supervised release and pay a $100 special assessment.
This sentencing highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address immigration offenses and protect community safety in Southeast Louisiana. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana enhances community safety through law enforcement efforts, according to the official website.
Court documents show that Mendez-Francisco, age 44, pled guilty on May 15, 2024, to the felony offense of Domestic Abuse-Child under 13 Present in Jefferson Parish’s 24th Judicial District Court. He had previously been removed from the United States on three occasions: November 3, 2005; February 11, 2010; and July 3, 2024. Law enforcement found him again in Jefferson Parish on May 2, 2025 without authorization from either the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security to return.
Courcelle said he praised “the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (‘ICE-ERO’) in investigating this matter.” Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana operates under the U.S. Department of Justice as chief federal law enforcement officer for Southeast Louisiana and is appointed by the President with Senate approval according to its official website. The office enforces federal laws that protect residents by prosecuting criminal cases and handling civil matters according to its official website.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and related criminal activity through coordinated efforts within various Department of Justice programs.
