NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Louisiana, Eastern), published as received.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DENIS EDGARDO BUEZO-ZELAYA (“BUEZO”), age 33, was sentenced on February 3, 2026 after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, BUEZO was removed from the United States on August 13, 2014, and was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on February 3, 2024, and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter.
BUEZO was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Darrel James Papillion to time-served, to be followed by one year of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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