Previously Deported Immigrant Indicted in Monroe County as Federal Immigration Enforcement Intensifies
One of 15 illegal reentry indictments announced this week involves a man found in Monroe County, highlighting increased federal immigration activity reaching the Florida Keys.
Federal prosecutors have indicted a previously deported Guatemalan national on an illegal reentry charge after he was located in Monroe County, part of a broader South Florida enforcement sweep that resulted in 15 indictments, authorities announced Monday.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Waldemar Rosales-Teletor, 36, was found in Monroe County in December 2025 after having been deported in 2007, 2012, and 2013. He is charged with illegally reentering the United States following removal.
Rosales-Teletor is the only defendant among the 15 alleged to have been located in Monroe County. The remaining cases span Miami-Dade, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Highlands, and Martin counties, reflecting what federal officials described as intensified immigration enforcement across South Florida.
Illegal reentry after deportation carries a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison, though prosecutors said enhanced penalties may apply in certain cases depending on prior criminal histories. In the broader group of indictments announced Monday, several defendants face potential sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years tied to alleged prior convictions.
The cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with assistance from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Federal prosecutors said the indictments are being handled by the recently formed Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement Section, known as BICE. The unit was created in November 2025 to consolidate immigration, narcotics, fraud, and violent crime prosecutions connected to border and maritime enforcement. Officials said the section has filed more than 40 illegal reentry cases since its creation.
The Monroe County indictment comes amid heightened visibility of federal immigration activity in the Florida Keys, which has drawn public attention and sparked demonstrations in Key West in recent weeks, even as officials note there have been no officer involved shootings locally tied to enforcement actions.
An indictment is an allegation only. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Court records related to the cases are available through the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.