A Guatemalan national living illegally in the Springfield, Greene County, Missouri area was sentenced on Apr. 6 in federal court for illegal re-entry into the United States following a previous aggravated felony conviction.
Miguel Guzman-Guerra, also known as Joel Montoya Ortiz, age 38, received a sentence of 24 months in prison from District Court Chief Judge Brian Wimes. After completing his sentence with the Bureau of Prisons, Guzman-Guerra will be deported to Guatemala.
Guzman-Guerra was arrested by Carthage Police Department officers on Jan. 23, 2025 during a traffic stop and charged with driving while revoked, identity theft, and failure to register as a sex offender. Law enforcement determined he was illegally present in the United States and contacted agents from Homeland Security – Immigration Customs Enforcement (HSI-ICE), who confirmed that Guzman-Guerra had previously been removed from the country in 2014.
Prior to his illegal re-entry into the United States, Guzman-Guerra had been convicted of sexual indecency with a child—an aggravated felony offense. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney and investigated by Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations along with the Carthage Police Department.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aimed at addressing illegal immigration and violent crime through coordinated efforts by law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions within western Missouri according to the official website. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri handles federal prosecutions across 66 counties stretching from Iowa to Arkansas borders according to its official website.
The office collaborates closely with federal, state, local and tribal partners according to its official website, operates offices in Kansas City, Jefferson City and Springfield according to its official website, supports outreach programs focused on violent crime prevention according to its official website, covers a broad jurisdiction spanning much of western Missouri according to its official website, and is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website.
