HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has charged a staggering 247 defendants in the final week of July, part of Operation Take Back America’s relentless pursuit to secure the Southern border.
Among the accused are 21 human smugglers, 119 illegal entrants, and 107 felons reentering the United States after prior removal. Many have records for narcotics, violent crime, immigration violations, and more.
The district’s latest sweep includes four Mexican nationals who face up to 20 years in federal prison for illegal reentry. Juan Carlos De Alejandro-Rosales, previously convicted of marijuana possession, was removed in 2018 and allegedly returned this week. His co-defendants, Mario Alberto Almazan-Mata, Bertoldo Lopez-Varillas, and Luciano Martinez-Rios, also have prior felony convictions including drug possession and DWI.
Jose Santos Diaz-Valenzuela, another illegal reentry defendant, has a record for assaulting a federal officer and faces up to 20 years in prison. Hugo Armando Esquivel-Castro and Jose Armando Wong-Lopez are charged with harboring illegal aliens after their previous removals from the United States.
In other cases, Jonathan Ray Balderas of San Antonio was sentenced to 41 months for smuggling 10 illegal aliens, while Rafael Cortez-Gonzalez of Mexico received a 39-month sentence for his fourth unlawful reentry into the U.S. These sentences aim to deter further criminal activity along the border.
The operation has been supported by various federal agencies including ICE, Border Patrol, DEA, FBI, and ATF, showcasing a unified effort against illegal immigration and related crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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