A 33-year-old Honduran national has been handed a 60-month prison sentence for illegally reentering the United States, as part of a nationwide crackdown on immigration and transnational crimes.
Denis Hernandez-Cruz, a resident of Houston, pleaded guilty to the charges on April 11, after a thorough investigation by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Hernandez-Cruz’s sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge, who noted that the defendant needed a substantial sentence to deter him from committing the same offense again.
Hernandez-Cruz’s criminal history is marked with several felony convictions, including two counts of burglary of a habitation and a prior conviction for illegal reentry. He has also been removed from the United States three times, with his most recent removal occurring in April 2020.
The case against Hernandez-Cruz is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating immigration and transnational crimes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franklyn prosecuted the case, which involved marshaling the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration and protect communities from violent crime.
Hernandez-Cruz will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility, where he will serve out the remainder of his sentence. His removal proceedings will follow his imprisonment, as he is not a U.S. citizen.
The harsh sentence handed down to Hernandez-Cruz sends a clear message that repeated offenses will not be tolerated, and that the Department of Justice will continue to prioritize the prosecution of crimes related to immigration and transnational activity.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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