⏱ 2 min read
Gabriela Lopez-Castro, a 35-year-old Mexican citizen, was sentenced to time served for illegally reentering the United States in Billings, Montana. Lopez-Castro, who was living in Roundup, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of illegal reentry into the United States. She was arrested in Musselshell County on February 4, 2026, on allegations of partner or family member assault, which led to the discovery of her illegal status.
Lopez-Castro had been deported in 2019 and again in 2024, but she returned to the US illegally. She acknowledged her illegal reentry to Border Patrol agents on February 5, 2026. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, which was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to combat illegal immigration and transnational crime.
The case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with assistance from the Musselshell County sheriff’s deputies and the Malta Border Patrol Station. Lopez-Castro’s sentencing was presided over by U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters.
The outcome of the case marks a significant step in the efforts to combat illegal reentry and transnational crime in Montana. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will continue to work together to prosecute cases like Lopez-Castro’s and protect the community from the perpetrators of violent crime.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Organized Crime
- Defendant: Montana
- Location: MT
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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