Villegas Gets 18 Months for Stolen Car, Drugs & Illegal Return

TULSA, Okla. – Rodrigo Chacon Villegas, 36, is headed back to federal prison after a Tulsa judge handed down an 18-month sentence for illegally re-entering the United States. The case, announced by U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson, highlights the revolving door problem of repeat offenders and the persistent flow of drugs into the heartland.

U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Chacon Villegas for Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. The 18-month term in the United States Bureau of Prisons will be followed by three years of supervised release, but that’s just a formality. Immigration officials are already prepping for Chacon Villegas’s fifth removal from the country.

The trouble began in November when Tulsa police pulled over Chacon Villegas driving a stolen vehicle. A search revealed he wasn’t just joyriding; he was also packing methamphetamine and marijuana. He initially faced state charges and received a two-year suspended sentence in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty – a slap on the wrist that allowed the feds to step in. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flagged him at the Tulsa County Jail.

Records paint a clear picture: Chacon Villegas is a Mexican national with a long history of ignoring U.S. immigration laws. He’s been deported – kicked out – four times previously, yet repeatedly attempts to sneak back into the country. This isn’t a case of seeking opportunity; it’s a calculated risk, fueled by the profits of the criminal underworld.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard successfully prosecuted the case, building a solid argument for the federal charge of unlawful reentry. While the 18-month sentence isn’t lengthy, it sends a message – however faint – that there are consequences for flouting the law. But the real question remains: how many times will Chacon Villegas be caught, sentenced, and deported before the system finally breaks the cycle?

The investigation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. The Grimy Times will continue to track this case and report on the effectiveness of federal efforts to secure the border and combat repeat criminal activity. This case underscores the challenges facing law enforcement in Oklahoma and across the nation as they grapple with the persistent issue of illegal reentry and drug trafficking.

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