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Border Crossers Get Time: Two Mexicans Plead Guilty in Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Two Mexican nationals are facing the consequences of repeated illegal border crossings. Ariel Benjamin Gregorio Santiago, 36, and Zeferino Marceliano Leon, 35, both pleaded guilty to the federal charge of re-entry of a removed alien before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., according to U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo.
Santiago didn’t just slip back across the line once. The feds say he was previously removed from the United States in 2011, and twice more in 2019. Leon also has a removal on his record, dating back to 2011. Both men were apprehended by Border Patrol agents on July 24, 2025, who quickly confirmed their Mexican citizenship and lack of U.S. status.
The sentencing split the pair. Santiago received a four-month prison sentence for his repeated violations. Leon, however, received time served and was immediately turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings. Expect him on the next flight south.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith is prosecuting the case, and this isn’t an isolated incident. It’s part of the broader “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice is touting as a full-scale assault on illegal immigration, cartels, transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and the violent crime they bring with them.
The investigation was spearheaded by the U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks. While the feds frame this as a victory against “invasion,” the reality is a revolving door for many who attempt to cross. The question remains: will these sentences deter others, or simply add to the growing strain on an already overwhelmed system?
Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and the broader implications of “Operation Take Back America.” Stay tuned for updates as this story develops. # # # #
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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