A 53-year-old man previously deported three times is now facing federal charges after being found at a hotel near Buffalo.
Miguel Angel Ruiz Guevara, a citizen of El Salvador, has been arrested and charged with illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed — including after a felony conviction, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Multiple removals and prior felony
According to court documents, U.S. investigators encountered Ruiz Guevara on August 29 at a hotel in Bowmansville, NY. When questioned, he presented only a Salvadoran passport and had no documents allowing him to be in the U.S. legally.
Authorities later confirmed he had been ordered removed from the country three times — in 1992, 2005, and 2011.
Ruiz Guevara also has a felony conviction for driving under the influence. He was convicted in 2004 after his third DUI offense.
Part of Operation Take Back America
This case falls under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on immigration enforcement, dismantling transnational criminal organizations, and combating violent crime.
The investigation was led by U.S. Border Patrol and Ruiz Guevara was ordered detained following an initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy.
As with all federal cases, the charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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