Four-time Reentry Felon Olivares-Cervantes Sentenced Again

McALLEN, Texas – Arnufo Olivares-Cervantes, a 47-year-old Mexican national with an extensive criminal history, has been sentenced for illegal re-entry into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.

Olivares-Cervantes pleaded guilty on April 23rd, marking his fourth felony conviction for this offense. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Olivares-Cervantes to serve 46 months in federal prison. The defendant is not a U.S. citizen and is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his sentence.

At the hearing, additional evidence was presented of Olivares-Cervantes’ previous convictions, including attempted murder for which he had previously received a lengthy sentence. His criminal record also includes felony convictions for narcotics trafficking and illegal re-entry.

Olivares-Cervantes was first removed from the United States in 1999 and has returned unlawfully three other times before being discovered again on June 15, 2023, in Edinburg, Texas.

The investigation into Olivares-Cervantes’ case was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

This sentence is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation coordinates efforts from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood programs.

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