A Mexican national arrested after a high-speed chase through Kalispell in June 2025 received an 18-month sentence for illegal reentry in federal court last week.

After completing his sentence, Baldemar Duarte-Nieto, 47, will be remanded into the custody of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement with a recommendation that the agency immediately begin removal proceedings. 

Duarte-Nieto has already been removed from the United States four times, according to court documents. His most recent removal occurred in November 2021.  

Duarte-Nieto's criminal record includes convictions for carjacking, false statements to a federal officer and criminal conspiracy to bring a controlled substance into prison in California, and for operating a vehicle under the influence in Wyoming. Duarte-Nieto has pending charges related to the transportation and sale of heroin in both California and Washington.   

Duarte-Nieto received a five-year suspended sentence in Flathead County District Court in September 2025 for felony criminal endangerment. That charge stemmed from a high-speed pursuit between Duarte-Nieto and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputies in June 2025, during which Duarte-Nieto reached speeds of up to 80 mph. The chase ended after Duarte-Nieto crashed into a parked vehicle on Fifth Street West in Kalispell. 

Following his conviction in Flathead District Court, Duarte-Nieto was transferred into federal custody to face an illegal reentry charge. He pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Missoula in November 2025. 

The sentence imposed by Judge Donald Molloy for the illegal reentry charge falls in line with recommendations by former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. In addition to an 18-month imprisonment, Molloy mandated 3 years of supervised release. 

Duarte-Nieto will serve his sentence in a federal facility in California due to the proximity to his family. Duarte-Nieto's family told U.S. officials they plan to reunite with him once he is removed to Mexico, according to court documents. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 406-758-4433 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.