A man who was arrested in Bangor by U.S. Customs and Border Protection is facing a criminal charge in federal court.
Baltazar Alonzo-Perez, 32, was arrested Friday and charged with re-entry of a removed alien in U.S. District Court of Maine in Bangor. He is scheduled for his initial court appearance Tuesday, according to court records.
The same day Alonzo-Perez was arrested, videos circulated on social media of Border Patrol officers arresting people in Bangor on Broadway. There were four pickup trucks, three of which had emergency lights flashing and one had CBP markings. One video showed a person who appeared to be in handcuffs with Border Patrol officers around him.
Border Patrol did not respond to a question about whether Alonzo-Perez was among those arrested on Broadway.
Alonzo-Perez was arrested during a 10-day statewide enforcement operation by Border Patrol, when 39 people were taken into custody. Border Patrol has arrested more people for immigration reasons so far this year in Maine than throughout all of 2024. Alonzo-Perez likely is the first arrested and criminally charged in Bangor under the Trump administration.
At least 13 people have been criminally charged with a felony or misdemeanor in federal court in Maine for immigration reasons this year, according to a search of court records.
Border Protection Agent Andrew McGuire was watching a house in Bangor where he was told several people were living who were not in the country legally, according to an affidavit filed in court. While there, he saw a car registered to Alonzo-Perez.
Border Patrol agent Peter Bates saw three people enter the vehicle and said he recognized Alonzo-Perez from a previous booking picture, according to the affidavit. Bates then pulled the vehicle over.
Alonzo-Perez is from Guatemala and had been removed from the United States in March 2020 while living in Texas, the affidavit said.
Alonzo-Perez and two other people were arrested and taken to the Houlton Border Patrol Station, the affidavit said. The other two people are being processed for removal through administrative means, CBP said.
No further information was available Monday on the others arrested.
