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Albuquerque Man Convicted of Military Trespass in New Mexico National Defense Area
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – Andres De Los Santos-Martinez, a 35-year-old citizen of Mexico, has been convicted of re-entry after deportation, willfully violating a defense property security regulation, and military trespass by entering the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA), a restricted military zone established in April 2025.
According to court documents, De Los Santos-Martinez was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents on June 1, 2025, in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, after crossing the border at a location not designated as a lawful port of entry. He had previously been apprehended in the NMNDA on May 7, 2025, and was advised in Spanish that unauthorized entry into the restricted military area was prohibited and subject to federal prosecution.
De Los Santos-Martinez is the first of two individuals to be convicted in the District of New Mexico under the new federal enforcement strategy, which grants the military expanded authority over an approximately 60-foot-wide, 170-mile-long strip of land along the New Mexico border, now managed by the U.S. Army as a National Defense Area.
The NDA is marked with signs in English and Spanish warning that unauthorized entry is prohibited and subject to federal prosecution.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison praised the efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. military in securing the southern border. ‘These first convictions reflect the resolve of the United States Attorney’s Office to do its part in securing our nation’s southern border,’ Ellison said.
De Los Santos-Martinez’s conviction is a result of the coordinated enforcement of existing federal laws. He faces up to one year in prison and/or a fine for his crimes.
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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