A Guatemalan national has been sentenced in Portland, Maine, for illegally entering the United States after a prior removal. Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Samuel Par-Lopez, 37, to time served, which amounts to approximately 113 days. Par-Lopez had pleaded guilty on March 14, 2025.
Court records indicate that on February 7, 2025, an officer from the Wiscasset Police Department noticed Par-Lopez driving a vehicle with snow on its roof that had not been clearedâa violation of Maine motor vehicle law. Further investigation revealed that Par-Lopez had previously been removed from the U.S. and lacked the necessary visa or documentation to re-enter the country.
The case was investigated by U.S. Border Patrol with assistance from the Wiscasset Police Department.
This sentencing is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The operation utilizes resources from the Departmentâs Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
