Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced it filed a criminal complaint against an El Salvadorian national in connection with illegal re-entry charges.In December 2025, law enforcement received a tip that Juan Carlos Rivas-Montano, 45, was working in Hyattsville, Maryland. After a positive confirmation, law enforcement took Rivas-Montano into custody. Authorities deported Rivas-Montano on two previous occasions.Kelly O.
Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.According to the criminal complaint, in 1990, Rivas-Montano, a citizen and national of El Salvador, entered the United States without inspection by an immigration official. Then in March 1999, the U.S. issued Rivas-Montano a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) card.
But in June 2006, the U.S. subsequently revoked Rivas-Montano’s LPR which led to his deportation to El Salvador.In October 2018, law enforcement encountered Rivas-Montano after he illegally re-entered the U.S. near Falfurrias, Texas. Law enforcement arrested Rivas-Montano and charged and convicted him for re-entry of a removed alien. In February 2019, Rivas-Montano received a15-month sentence in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Then in January 2020, the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland, returned an indictment against Rivas-Montanoin connection with several sex offenses. In October 2020, authorities extradited Rivas-Montano to Maryland where he pled guilty to two counts of sexual offense in the third degree. After serving his sentence, Rivas-Montano was again deported and removed from the U.S. to El Salvador in January 2021. But then Rivas-Montano illegally re-entered the U.S. again on an unknown date.This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.U.S.
Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney William Moomau who prosecuted the federal case.For more information about the Maryland U.S.
Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.# # #