Jose Godinez-Mendoza, a 39-year-old Guatemalan national, has been indicted for illegally reentering the United States after being deported six times. The indictment was announced Friday by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
According to court document, Godinez-Mendoza was removed from the U.S. on six occasions between December 29, 2011, and December 28, 2018. Prosecutors say he never sought permission from U.S. immigration authorities to lawfully reenter the country.
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On September 7, 2025, Investigators say Godinez-Mendoza was found voluntarily back in the U.S. near St. Augustine during a traffic stop by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. He was arrested by federal agents on September 11 and is currently detained pending trial.
If convicted, Godinez-Mendoza faces up to two years in federal prison, followed by deportation and removal from the United States.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
This indictment is part of Operation Take Back America; a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration.