Adan Cruz Castillo, also known as Adan Cruz-Castillo, Adan Cruz, and Adam Cruz, pleaded guilty on July 30 to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.
The case originated from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Checotah Police Department. According to the indictment, Cruz Castillo was found in McIntosh County on June 18 without having obtained consent from the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission after previous removals on June 23, 2022, and January 12, 2018.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which is described as a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing illegal immigration and related criminal activity. The Honorable D. Edward Snow accepted Cruz Castillo’s plea and ordered a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine sentencing after reviewing federal guidelines and statutory factors. Until then, Cruz Castillo remains in custody with the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Knutson represented the government during these proceedings.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma advances community wellness through federal trust responsibilities to sovereign Tribal Nations; maintains operational facilities in Muskogee; functions under the United States Department of Justice; handles federal criminal investigations, prosecutions, civil litigation and debt collection for the government; represents the only federal judicial district fully within Indian country; and covers 26 counties in eastern Oklahoma including Adair and Atoka counties among others, according to the official website.