Federal authorities in the Eastern District of California announced that Meza-Pena entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment after being convicted of alien smuggling in violation of federal immigration law.
According to the criminal complaint and other court records filed in United States v. Meza-Pena (Case No. 2:12-cr-00021), Meza-Pena was encountered by federal agents in California after having been previously deported from the United States on 1 separate occasions. Despite prior orders of removal, Meza-Pena unlawfully returned to the country without obtaining the required permission from the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security.
Court records indicate that Meza-Pena had a prior criminal history that included a conviction for domestic violence, which elevated the severity of the immigration offense under federal sentencing guidelines. The prior criminal record was a significant factor in the government’s prosecution strategy and the ultimate sentence imposed by the court.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), whose agents initially encountered Meza-Pena during a routine enforcement operation in California. A subsequent background check revealed Meza-Pena’s immigration history, including the prior removals and criminal record.
U.S. District Judge John King imposed the sentence during a hearing at the federal courthouse. In pronouncing the sentence, the judge noted the repeated nature of the violations and the need to deter future illegal reentries. The court also ordered a fine of $167,000 and 4 years of supervised release upon release, after which Meza-Pena will face deportation proceedings.
Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Taylor handled the prosecution. In court filings, Elizabeth Taylor argued that the sentence was appropriate given Meza-Pena’s history of immigration violations and prior criminal conduct. The prosecution emphasized that individuals who repeatedly flout immigration laws after deportation pose a public safety concern.
Under federal law, illegal reentry after deportation carries enhanced penalties when the defendant has prior criminal convictions. The offense carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison when the defendant was previously removed subsequent to a conviction for an aggravated felony.
This prosecution was part of a broader federal initiative to target individuals who repeatedly violate immigration laws, particularly those with criminal histories. The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has identified the prosecution of recidivist immigration offenders as a key enforcement priority in the California region.
Following completion of the federal sentence, Meza-Pena will be subject to removal proceedings and will face additional criminal penalties if found unlawfully present in the United States in the future.
Related Federal Cases
- Galindo-Hernandez, Alien Smuggling, California 1998 · California
- Ambriz-Solario, Alien Smuggling, California 1998 · California
- Zaragosa-Bautista, Alien Smuggling, California 1998 · California
- Aguilar-Garcia, Alien Smuggling, California 1998 · California
- Heathman, Alien Smuggling, California 2000 · California
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