A Guatemalan national, Derli Francisco De Souza, 59, pleaded guilty on October 9, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland to illegally re-entering the United States after previously being removed.
Court records indicate that De Souza was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Brunswick police officers for speeding in August 2025. During the stop, he identified himself as a citizen of Guatemala. Immigration authorities confirmed that De Souza had been deported from the United States in 2011 and did not possess valid documentation to re-enter.
De Souza could face up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to one year of supervised release. Sentencing will take place after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigative report. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal considerations.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol.
According to the Department of Justice, “Operation Take Back America: 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.”
The press release notes that it was not published at the time of occurrence due to a federal government shutdown but was made available following resumption of normal operations.
