A Mexican national, Javier Amateco-Navarrette, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor to reentering the United States after being previously removed. On September 16, 2025, Amateco-Navarrette was stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol while riding as a passenger in a vehicle in Oakland, Maine. During the stop, he admitted to being a citizen of Mexico and to residing in the U.S. without legal status. Records show that he had been deported twice before in 2018.
Amateco-Navarrette could face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing will occur following a presentence investigative report from the U.S. Probation Office. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge based on sentencing guidelines and other relevant factors.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative led by the Department of Justice that focuses on combating illegal immigration and dismantling criminal organizations such as cartels and transnational criminal groups. The operation brings together resources from programs like the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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