Gulfport, Miss. – A Honduran national was sentenced to 15 months in prison for unlawful reentry by an alien removed after felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge David Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
According to court documents, Wilmer Josue Pavon-Hercules, 40, was arrested on September 12, 2021, following a traffic stop by a Picayune Police officer on Interstate 59 in Pearl River County. Pavon-Hercules did not have a driver’s license and provided only a Honduran identification card. The officer was assisted on-site by a deputy of the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department. While officials were attempting to arrest Pavon-Hercules for careless driving and driving under the influence (DUI), he attempted to flee law enforcement and then bit the police officer while being handcuffed. Pavon-Hercules was taken into custody and transported to Pearl River County Jail. Later, he escaped from the Pearl River County Jail and was recaptured by deputies.
Picayune officials contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) regarding the immigration status of Pavon-Hercules. HSI determined through electronic database queries that Pavon-Hercules was a citizen of Honduras who was previously deported from the United States to Honduras. Immigration Records revealed that Pavon-Hercules had been removed from the U.S. on August 23, 2012. He returned to the U.S. and was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in 2017 for reentry by an alien following removal. He was again returned to his home nation of Honduras.
Pavon-Hercules pled guilty on December 14, 2021, to unlawful reentry by an alien removed after felony conviction.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Picayune Police Department, and the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case.