Manuel Ortiz-Sanchez Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

Manuel Ortiz-Sanchez, 44, a Mexican national, was sentenced in federal court for the felony crime of Reentry of a Removed Alien, a conviction stemming from his clandestine return to the United States after being deported twice. U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart confirmed the time-served sentence, marking the end of over four months of federal incarceration since Ortiz-Sanchez was apprehended in January 2019.

On January 16, 2019, West Virginia State Police pulled over a vehicle in Chelyan, Kanawha County, for failing to maintain control on the West Virginia Turnpike. The driver produced a Mexican Consular notification document, while passengers—including Ortiz-Sanchez—had no identification or driver’s licenses. When questioned, Ortiz-Sanchez admitted he was in the country illegally, speaking directly with ICE agents over the phone in Spanish before federal authorities arrived to take him into custody.

Fingerprint records confirmed Ortiz-Sanchez had been previously removed from the United States in 2015—twice. Both times, immigration judges ruled he was unlawfully present, ordering his deportation to Mexico. Despite these rulings, Ortiz-Sanchez returned without legal permission, never having applied for citizenship or sought lawful status. He openly admitted to ICE agents that he remained a citizen of Mexico.

U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart made no apologies for the prosecution: “Two prior removals,” he said. “Individuals like Ortiz-Sanchez that want to come to the United States must obtain permission or seek legal status or citizenship.” Stuart praised the joint efforts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the West Virginia State Police in identifying and apprehending the defendant.

The sentencing hearing was presided over by Senior United States District Judge David Faber. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Goes led the prosecution. Ortiz-Sanchez was handed a time-served sentence and immediately remanded to ICE custody for administrative deportation proceedings, closing the chapter on his third illegal entry.

Ortiz-Sanchez’s case underscores the federal crackdown on repeat immigration offenders, particularly those who repeatedly evade deportation orders. With no legal claim to remain, his return triggered swift federal action—another reminder that illegal reentry is a felony, not a minor violation.