Trump officials file federal charges against illegal immigrant after state’s early release plan is exposed

President Donald Trump’s administration announced the filing of federal charges against a twice-deported illegal immigrant with a long rap sheet who was granted early prison release by California.

The announcement came on the heels of a Fox News report about the early release of Oscar Eduardo Ortega-Anguiano, an illegal alien from Mexico with multiple felonies.

“My office has filed a felony immigration charge against this defendant. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted for 8 USC 1326. If the State of California will not seek the full measure of justice against this individual, the [DOJ] will,” Bill Essayli, United States Attorney for the Central District of California, posted on social media.

HUGE update here from the US Attorney in LA. Feds now stepping in. Once he is released by California, Feds will prosecute him and seek to put him in federal prison for up to 20 years. https://t.co/X9YyEVmDGx

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) April 23, 2025

Ortega-Anguiano served 3.5 years of his 10-year sentence and will reportedly be released by the California state government on July 19. Families of the 19-year-olds Anya Varfolomeev and Nicholay Osokin, who were killed when a drunk-driving Ortega-Anguiano crashed into their car in November 2021, were informed of the early release on Easter.

(Video Credit: Fox News)

“This is absolutely unconscionable. What about Justice for these teens? What about the rights of their parents?” asked Attorney General Pam Bondi in a post on X, reacting to the Fox News story about the early release.

This is absolutely unconscionable.

What about Justice for these teens? What about the rights of their parents?@TheJusticeDept will work with ICE to make sure this illegal alien receives full punishment for his crimes. https://t.co/vDvmw4z7M7

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) April 23, 2025

“Immigration and Customs Enforcement has put out a detainer for his arrest following his likely release by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. However, California’s sanctuary policies led to questions about whether the state will end up complying with the detainer,” Fox News reported.

Border czar Tom Homan told “America’s Newsroom” on Wednesday that he would work with Homeland Security Secretary Noem on the case.

“I guarantee you, if they don’t honor the detainer, we’ll have ICE agents outside that facility to take custody of this individual and deport him,” he said.

The news of the early release rocked the families of the young victims, who expressed their anger in Fox News interviews.

“It’s disgusting. You have two young, unbelievable future, productive American citizens killed for nothing, and that illegal immigrant who already has been deported twice is going to be released again? For what? If even he is deported, he will come back,” said Anatoly Varfolomeev, the father of Anya.

“I hope he’s going to stay in prison. I hope that he’s gonna get old in prison and I hope he’s getting kicked out from our country in the end,” Nicholay’s father, Pavel Osokin, said. “Three years for killing two kids! It’s confusing to me. Why you give them 10 if they’re gonna spend five, and then three? Give them three in the beginning, at least we know what to expect. It’s sort of spitting in my face.”

Senior Staff Writer
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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