HONOLULU, Hawaii – A federal grand jury has indicted Navor Salas Cruz, 52, a Mexican national, on charges of illegal reentry into the United States after a previous felony conviction and deportation, Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced today.

The indictment follows a pattern of repeated illegal reentry by Salas Cruz, who has been deported to Mexico at least six times. He also has three prior felony convictions for illegally reentering the U.S. after deportation.

According to court documents, Salas Cruz was initially deported on July 10, 2008, following his first conviction for illegal reentry. Salas Cruz was last deported in March 2020 after serving a 30-month federal prison sentence. This sentence stemmed from a 2018 conviction in the District of Hawaii for illegal reentry and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition as a felon. The 2018 charges arose from a 2017 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigation on Kauai, where agents found Salas Cruz in possession of three firearms, including a 12-gauge shotgun, two pistols, and numerous rounds of ammunition.

He was arrested again on Kauai in February 2025, after once again illegally reentering the United States.

If convicted on the current charge, Salas Cruz faces a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

It is important to note that the indictment is merely an accusation, and Salas Cruz is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Any sentence would be determined by a United States District Judge based on statutory sentencing factors and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren W.K. Ching.