Las Vegas, NV – Maria Vega-Villalba, a 45-year-old Mexican national, has made her first court appearance charged with illegal reentry into the United States after being deported. Vega-Villalba faces one-count of deported alien found in the United States.
The defendant is accused of returning to the U.S. following her previous deportation on May 16, 2024. She was initially removed from the country two days after an Immigration Judge ordered her removal on May 14, 2024. Vega-Villalba’s return to the U.S. was facilitated by a targeted operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on August 21, 2025.
Vega-Villalba has a criminal history in the United States. On January 23, 2023, she was convicted in Maricopa County, Arizona, of Attempt Sale or Transportation for Sale of a Narcotic Drug (Fentanyl). Following her release from prison, she was deported to Mexico.
Upon conviction for illegal reentry, Vega-Villalba could face the maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
The investigation was led by the ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office, with the support of Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Jason Knight. The public is encouraged to report crimes and suspicious activity through 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or online tip form.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Key Facts
- State: Nevada
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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