A Guatemalan national was sentenced in a Maine federal court on Wednesday for illegal reentry into the U.S. after a prior deportation after he was stopped by police for having snow on the roof of his car.
Samuel Par-Lopez, 37, was sentenced to time served of about 113 days for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.
He previously pleaded guilty to the federal charge in March.
Par-Lopez was pulled over by an officer from the Wiscasset Police Department in early February for operating a vehicle with snow on the roof that had not been cleared, in violation of a Maine motor vehicle law, according to court records.
Modeled on New Hampshire’s “Jessica’s Law,” Maine in 2023 enacted a statute making it illegal to drive with snow and ice on your car. Because there is little snow in Guatemala except at high altitudes, Par-Lopez may have been unaware of Maine’s requirement to clear his vehicle of debris that could impair others.
But more importantly, an investigation showed that he had previously been removed from the U.S. and did not have a visa or other documentation that would allow him to re-enter the country.
