Miguel Mejia Tum, a 27-year-old citizen of Guatemala, was indicted on Apr. 1 by a federal grand jury for allegedly illegally reentering the United States after being removed following an aggravated felony conviction, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The case is significant as it highlights ongoing efforts to address illegal reentry and related crimes through interagency cooperation. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Mejia Tum was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on March 15 after having been previously removed from the country through Alexandria, Louisiana, on October 28, 2020. Authorities say he did not obtain permission to return.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kelley K. McGraw is prosecuting.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF brings together various government agencies to combat criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling operations both within the U.S. and abroad. Special focus is placed on investigating crimes involving children and removing violent criminal aliens from the country.
If convicted of illegal reentry after an aggravated felony conviction, Mejia Tum faces a maximum penalty under federal law of twenty years imprisonment as well as supervised release and a fine determined by federal sentencing statutes and guidelines.
Officials remind that indictments are only allegations at this stage; all individuals charged are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
