Maynor Perez Baten, a Guatemalan national, was found guilty on Mar. 11 in federal court in Brooklyn of illegally reentering the United States after being deported following an aggravated felony conviction. The verdict came after a two-day trial before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes. Perez Baten faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address illegal reentry cases involving individuals with serious criminal records. According to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, such prosecutions are part of broader community outreach and victim assistance initiatives, as described on the office’s official website.
“With today’s verdict, the defendant has been held accountable for brazenly re-entering the United States after he was deported for a serious felony conviction, the attempted rape of a child, and then endangering the community once again by driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol,” said United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. “The defendant clearly has no respect for the laws of our nation and will be returned to Guatemala after completing his sentence.”
Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations New York, said: “Maynor Perez Baten’s attempted rape of a child and his subsequent decision to illegally re-enter the United States highlight his flagrant and repeated disregard for the criminal justice system. His choice to return after removal, without authorization and despite his depraved felony record, demonstrates a brazen contempt for community safety and the rule of law that protects it. I commend personnel from HSI New York and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their unyielding commitment to identifying, investigating, and arresting violent offenders who pose a threat to those we are sworn to serve.”
Court filings show that Perez Baten first entered the country illegally in 2009 and was arrested in May 2011 on charges related to first-degree rape involving a 12-year-old victim. He was convicted later that year of attempted rape in the first degree and sentenced to over three years’ imprisonment before being deported in April 2014. After returning unlawfully again, he was arrested by New York City Police Department officers for driving while intoxicated on Staten Island before being indicted by a grand jury in April 2024.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes and representing civil matters within its jurisdiction according to its official website. The office maintains locations in Brooklyn and Central Islip per its official website, covering areas including Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, and Suffolk County as indicated online. Breon Peace currently serves as United States Attorney as noted on its official site.
Looking ahead, Perez Baten will be sentenced at a future date before facing removal proceedings upon completion of any imposed prison term.
