A 37-year-old man from Guatemala in the U.S. illegally and arrested for drunken driving while working as a landscaper in Kona was sentenced to time served and will face deportation.
In a July 7 letter to U.S. District Court Judge Micah W.J. Smith, Rudy Perez, 37, who has lived and worked in Hawaii in violation of immigration law since 2016, wrote in Spanish that he accepts “the responsibilities of what I am accused of.”
Perez, who must serve a year of supervised release, said he fled Guatemala looking for a new life because he was persecuted for his sexual orientation and had to make money to help his mother, who died Feb. 13.
“I regret having caused problems by entering this country in a non-recorded way — I had no other option, I was just looking for a new beginning, the motive was because I was denied the job when they realized my sexual preferences. I needed to pay for my mom’s medications. It is not a sufficient excuse. I apologize and promise not to make the same mistake again,” wrote Perez, with the help an interpreter.
He was sentenced Tuesday after being charged with illegally reentering the country after being removed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren W.K. Ching prosecuted the case.
Perez had previously been deported from the U.S. to Guatemala on Dec. 19, 2012.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Perez was found guilty of drunken driving and fined $250 stemming from a Nov. 11, 2020, arrest.
He was arrested by officers with the Hawaii Police Department Jan. 10 on suspicion of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, and driving without insurance and without a license. He was released Tuesday from the Federal Detention Center, Honolulu, where he was held since May 1 after he was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations special agents.
Perez, who navigates federal court with the help of a Spanish interpreter, allegedly told agents that he most recently reentered the United States in Arizona in 2016.
Among the conditions of Perez’s release is to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and “follow all their instructions and reporting requirements until any deportation proceedings are completed.”
In a 12-page sentencing memorandum filed by Perez’s attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Max J. Mizono, letters from Hawaii island residents described a landscaper and friend full of love and aloha for his community.
Brianna P. Escobedo described Perez as a dependable, caring and “extremely hard-working person” who helped her family with her father’s health.
“When my Dad first had a stroke in 2023, Rudy was there by his side in his darkest moments. He was a major help in my dad’s recovery, from helping him with his physical therapy, to taking him out to family gatherings,” Escobedo told Smith in her letter. “It has been an extremely challenging time for our family, not having his cheerful and vibrant energy around. It’s taken a very straining toll on my dad’s mental health and physical recovery, as well as our family’s connection with him.”
Logan Meadows and the Cary family wrote a letter to Smith lauding Perez’s work as a landscaper and gardener. Meadows described Perez as “nothing short of exceptional” who was always “punctual, reliable, and incredibly hardworking.”
“Without fail, Rudy arrived at our property promptly — often at 8:00 a.m. — and worked tirelessly until 3:00 p.m. or later, depending on what the job required. His service has consistently gone above and beyond expectations, and he has never hesitated to respond to a last-minute request,” wrote Meadows. “What has stood out most, however, is Rudy’s strength and dedication during personal hardship. Despite the devastating loss of his mother on February 13, 2025, Rudy showed up (the next day) committed to his responsibilities and ready to work.”
Since January, more than 100 people have been arrested for alleged immigration violations in Hawaii as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to undertake the largest mass deportation in U.S. history.