Jose Lidio Chavez Flores, Illegal Reentry, South Dakota 2025

Rapid City, SD – A brazen attempt to evade a traffic stop ended in disaster for Jose Lidio Chavez Flores, a 42-year-old Mexican man with a penchant for reentering the United States without permission.

According to court documents, on November 8, 2024, Flores was behind the wheel of a vehicle in Rapid City, South Dakota, when law enforcement attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Instead of pulling over, Flores led the pursuing officers on a wild goose chase through the streets before finally coming to a stop.

Once apprehended, officers discovered a semi-automatic rifle lurking in the rear seat of the vehicle. It was then that Flores’ troubles really began.

Flores, who has been removed from the United States twice before, had not obtained the necessary consent to reenter the country from either the U.S. Attorney General or the U.S. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. His actions earned him a spot on the wrong side of the law, and ultimately, a stint in federal prison.

On March 10, 2025, U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler handed down a two-month sentence for Flores’ crimes, as well as a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. As part of his sentence, Flores will also be removed from the United States once again.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating the scourge of illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case, which has been deemed a success in the ongoing fight against illegal reentry.

Flores was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, where he will serve out the remainder of his sentence. It’s a harsh reminder that reentering the United States without permission will not be tolerated, and those who attempt to do so will face the full force of the law.

Related Federal Cases