BUFFALO, N.Y. – Three Mexican nationals are facing federal charges after being caught re-entering the United States illegally, according to U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo. Ariel Benjamin Gregorio Santiago, 35, Jorge Alfredo Martinez Sanchez, 50, and Zeferino Marceliano Leon, 35, were each charged in separate criminal complaints with re-entry of a removed alien, a crime carrying a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The busts unfolded late last month. On July 24, 2025, Border Patrol agents conducting surveillance on an Amherst, NY residence—suspected of utilizing undocumented workers—stopped a work vehicle leaving the property. Inside were Santiago and Leon. Both men readily admitted to being Mexican citizens with no legal right to be in the U.S. A deeper dive revealed Santiago had been previously deported from the United States in 2011 and *twice* in 2019. Leon, meanwhile, was previously removed in 2011.
Just three days later, on July 27, agents staked out a retail store in Cheektowaga, NY. They observed a work van in the parking lot, and seven individuals dressed in construction gear exiting the store. Among them was Jorge Alfredo Martinez Sanchez. He, too, was identified as a Mexican citizen lacking legal documentation. Records show Martinez Sanchez was previously removed from the United States in 2017.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith is prosecuting the cases. All three defendants made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and are currently being held without bail. The arrests are part of “Operation Take Back America,” a sweeping federal initiative aimed at clamping down on illegal immigration and dismantling transnational criminal organizations.
Operation Take Back America isn’t just about border security; it’s a full-court press leveraging resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The goal, officials say, is to not only stem the flow of illegal immigration but also to cripple the cartels that profit from it and protect communities from the resulting violence.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Martin B. Coombs. It’s crucial to remember that these are merely allegations at this stage. Each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it develops.
Related Federal Cases
- Ecuadorian National Nabbed for Illegal Re-Entry in Buffalo · New York
- Repeat Offender Figueroa Rosario Nabbed for 3rd Illegal Re-entry · New York
- Honduran Man Nabbed for Illegal Re-Entry · New York
- Buffalo Gang Member Oscar Romero Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Charges · New York
- Jose Manuel Salazar Estrada Arrested for Illegal Re-Entry · New York
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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