Mexican National Fuentes-Acosta Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

Manuel Alberto Fuentes-Acosta, 46, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced Thursday for the federal crime of reentry of a removed alien, marking the end of a years-long evasion of U.S. immigration law. The conviction stems from his 2018 apprehension at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix, where he walked directly into a federal trap by admitting he was in the United States illegally.

Fuentes-Acosta was given time served and slapped with a $100 special assessment by Visiting Judge Anne E. Thompson. The defendant had already been in custody since November 2018—nearly six years of incarceration—after presenting himself at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) primary inspection while attempting to board an American Airlines flight. There, he told officers he had no legal status in the country.

Referred to secondary inspection, Fuentes-Acosta doubled down on his admission, telling agents he lacked a visa and had no lawful right to be in the United States. He was immediately arrested. During interrogation by Homeland Security, he admitted crossing illegally from Mexico into Del Rio, Texas in April 2018—paying smugglers between $2,000 and $3,000 to ferry him across the river.

The investigation confirmed Fuentes-Acosta was formally deported on June 1, 2017, from Laredo, Texas, to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Despite that removal, he returned without permission and never sought consent from the U.S. Attorney General to reenter—a key element of the felony charge under federal law. His return route, through one of the most heavily trafficked smuggling corridors, underscores the persistent flow of illegal crossings despite border enforcement.

Fuentes-Acosta pleaded guilty on February 4, 2019, to one count of reentry of a removed alien, a charge that carries up to 20 years in prison. His plea agreement, filed November 9, 2018, laid bare the mechanics of his illegal return—including direct payment to human smugglers—and formed the backbone of the prosecution’s case.

U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert confirmed the sentencing, emphasizing that illegal reentry remains a serious federal offense, particularly when individuals exploit commercial air travel to move undetected. Fuentes-Acosta’s case, rooted in deception and transnational movement, reflects broader enforcement challenges across U.S. territories like the U.S. Virgin Islands, where border integrity remains a constant battleground.