Call him Ismael. The Minnesota Man of the Day for November 19 is Ismail Chupin-Higuera, age 27. Chupin is scheduled to appear in federal court in downtown St. Paul to be arraigned on a felony count of illegal reentry of a previously deported alien. Court records indicate two deportations, both in June 2019.
In December 2023, Chupin was picked up by the state patrol for drunk driving in Hennepin County. He pled guilty in June 2024 to a misdemeanor charge and his plea agreement contained this warning, immediately above the signature line, as part of the standard form used.
Upon sentencing, the drunk driving misdemeanor was downgraded to careless driving and he was given 18 months of probation with all fines were waived.
In June 2025, he was accused of a probation violation and failed to appear at a July probation hearing. He was scheduled for a state court hearing (via Zoom) yesterday (November 18), but he had already been picked up by the feds last week.
Chupin is said to be employed in the construction industry.
Also due in court this morning (in Minneapolis) is unregistered sex offender and convicted felon Diego Perez-Mejia of Guatemala. Perez took Minnesota Man of the Day honors back on August 19.
Perez, age 25, will be in court regarding some pre-trial motions in his case, which involves his fathering a child with a fourteen-year-old girl.
Perez has been in custody since early September. No trial date has been set.
