FORT SMITH — The United States Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Arkansas announced today that two individuals have been arraigned on charges of Illegal Reentry. Edwin Hernandez‑Viera, age 44, a Salvadoran national residing in Fort Smith has been arrested and arraigned on federal charges of illegal reentry into the United States and failure to register as a sex offender. Jaime Mena-Najera, age 20, a citizen of Mexico, was arraigned on the federal charge of illegal reentry.

Hernandez‑Viera appeared on Monday, September 28, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Mark E. Ford in Fort Smith, where he entered pleas of not guilty to both charges. Mena-Najera appeared on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, before United States Magistrate Christy D. Comstock in Fayetteville, where he entered a plea of not guilty.

Per Court records, in September 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) received information from law enforcement authorities in El Salvador indicating that Hernandez‑Viera—who had previously been removed from the United States—had unlawfully reentered the country and was living in the Fort Smith area. Salvadoran authorities also advised that Hernandez‑Viera is the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant in El Salvador for the Rape of a Minor or Incapacitated Person.

Hernandez‑Viera has a prior conviction in Sebastian County District Court for two counts of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree, stemming from offenses committed in 2010. (See Sebastian County Circuit Court, Docket No: CR-2009-826)Per Court records, Mena-Najera was arrested in August 2026 after he was apprehended by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office subsequent to an encounter with Arkansas State Police. United States Attorney Kevin R. Holmes made the announcement. These cases are being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Fort Smith/Fayetteville Divisions, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, Arkansas State Police, Benton County Sheriff’s Office and international law enforcement partners. Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Allison and Carly Marshall are prosecuting the cases.

If convicted, Hernandez-Viera faces a statutory maximum of twenty years in federal prison.

If convicted, Mena-Najera faces a statutory maximum of two years in federal prison. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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.

Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.