A local nonprofit leader is facing federal charges after authorities say he re-entered the United States illegally following a prior deportation.
Court records filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas show that David Alcocer-Escamilla, identified as the director of Now Ministries, an Amarillo-based drug addiction treatment center, has been indicted on one count of Illegal Re-entry After Deportation.
According to a criminal complaint filed on September 16, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents encountered Alcocer-Escamilla in north Amarillo during an investigation. Federal immigration databases reportedly confirmed that Alcocer-Escamilla is a Mexican citizen who was deported from the United States in 2022.
The court filing states that Alcocer-Escamilla did not obtain permission from either the Secretary of Homeland Security or the U.S. Attorney General to lawfully return to the country. Such authorization is required for anyone who has previously been removed.
This is not Alcocer-Escamilla’s first encounter with the law. In December 2021, he was convicted of the same offense—illegal re-entry—and sentenced to three years in prison. Records indicate he was later deported after serving his sentence.
Now Ministries, where Alcocer-Escamilla has been listed as director, describes itself as a faith-based organization focused on recovery and rehabilitation programs for individuals battling addiction. It is unclear how long Alcocer-Escamilla has been involved in the organization or whether its leadership was aware of his prior conviction and removal order.
If convicted of the current charge, Alcocer-Escamilla could face additional prison time, followed by another removal from the U.S. Federal sentencing guidelines for illegal re-entry vary depending on prior criminal history.
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