A Honduran national has pleaded guilty in federal court in New Orleans for illegally reentering the United States after being previously deported and for possession of a firearm as an illegal alien. Bryan Javier Perez-Espinoza, 33, entered his plea on August 13, 2025.
Court records show that Perez-Espinoza was found in Orleans Parish on March 23, 2024. He had earlier been removed to Honduras on September 30, 2022.
For the charge of reentry after removal, Perez-Espinoza faces up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For the firearm possession charge, he could be sentenced to as much as fifteen years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, another possible $250,000 fine, and an additional $100 special assessment.
The case falls under Operation Take Back America. The initiative brings together resources from the Department of Justice with a focus on addressing illegal immigration and organized crime by coordinating efforts from its Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson said: “This case is 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).”
Simpson also recognized U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their investigative work on this case. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is prosecuting.
