Three Men Arrested on Immigration-Related Charges in Western New York
Three men were arrested and charged with immigration-related offenses following an enforcement action in Dunkirk, New York, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, the individuals were charged in separate criminal complaints:
Hector Noel Soto-Villalta, 29, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with illegal reentry after deportation with a prior felony conviction. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Isaias Fernando Diego-Lucas, 39, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with illegal reentry after deportation, carrying a potential maximum sentence of two years in prison.
Manuel Juan Mateo, 52, also a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with possession of a counterfeit alien resident card, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The arrests stemmed from a targeted enforcement action conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Buffalo Field Office on February 24. According to court documents, special agents were attempting to locate and arrest an individual subject to a final order of removal. During the operation, agents observed a man leaving a Dunkirk residence and entering a vehicle. After conducting a traffic stop, they questioned the passengers.
A records check allegedly revealed that Soto-Villalta had been deported from the U.S. three times. Diego-Lucas reportedly provided a Guatemalan identification card, and Mateo presented a permanent resident card, which authorities later determined to be fraudulent.
The three men appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and were ordered detained.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities emphasized that the charges are accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.