PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Elpidio Abelardo Perez-Perez, 33, of Mexico, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to a year and one day for the crime of illegal reentry by a removed alien. The sentence, handed down in the Northern District of Florida, underscores the relentless pursuit of those who repeatedly violate U.S. immigration law and engage in criminal activity.
The case, announced by U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin, reveals a pattern of disregard for the law. Perez-Perez wasn’t just slipping across the border; he was a repeated offender, deported in 2010, 2012, and 2013, only to return and allegedly continue breaking the law. Heekin didn’t mince words, stating his office “will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from violent criminal aliens like this defendant who amply demonstrate a complete disregard for our national and state laws.”
The arrest that finally led to this sentencing stemmed from an incident on February 17, 2025, in Escambia County. Perez-Perez was apprehended and charged with aggravated assault with a weapon and discharging a firearm. Investigators quickly discovered his true citizenship and a history of prior deportations, confirming he was illegally present in the United States.
This wasn’t a simple immigration violation. Perez-Perez’s actions demonstrate a clear threat to public safety. The fact that he allegedly committed a violent crime while unlawfully in the country is a key factor in the severity of the sentence. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations team spearheaded the investigation, bringing the evidence that secured the conviction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia H. Forbes prosecuted the case, tying it directly to “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative designed to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguard communities from violent criminals. The operation leverages resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), signaling a full-scale effort to address border security and crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, one of 94 across the nation, serves as the primary legal arm of the Attorney General. Public court records pertaining to this case, and others, are available on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. This case serves as a stark reminder that repeated violations of immigration law, coupled with violent criminal behavior, will be met with the full force of federal prosecution.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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