Eduardo Aguilar-Arellano, 35, of Mexico, is headed back behind bars — not for the crime he committed years ago, but for daring to return to the country that already threw him out once. The illegal alien was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison on February 11, 2020, after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of an aggravated felon, a charge that carries serious weight under U.S. immigration law.
Convicted of Second Degree Rape — an aggravated felony — on April 8, 2008, in the Superior Court of Johnston County, North Carolina, Aguilar-Arellano had already served time for a violent sexual offense before being formally removed from the United States on April 28, 2015, at El Paso, Texas. His return to American soil, particularly to Johnston County where he once preyed on a victim, wasn’t just a paperwork violation — it was a federal crime with consequences.
Court documents confirm Aguilar-Arellano entered the U.S. illegally after deportation, reestablishing residence in Johnston County, the same jurisdiction that once prosecuted him for rape. That prior conviction turned his unlawful return into a far more serious offense under 8 U.S.C. § 1326, which mandates stiff penalties for deported felons who attempt to reenter.
The case was investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations — two federal units that track down deported criminals who slip back across the border. Their work culminated in arrest, prosecution, and now, a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., of the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced the sentencing following the ruling by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel Diaz handled the prosecution, ensuring the courts treated Aguilar-Arellano not as a misunderstood migrant, but as the violent offender and repeat immigration violator that he is.
Related court records, including plea agreements and sentencing memos, are publicly available through the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or via PACER under Case No. 5:19-cr-00458-FL. This case serves as a stark reminder: aggravated felons who are deported and return illegally don’t get second chances — they get federal time.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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