Alamdar Hamdani U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei regarding Jose Luis Regalado-Solis, who had pleaded guilty on June 5, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña handed down an 84-month sentence to Regalado-Solis, who is not a U.S. citizen and is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his time in prison.
During the court hearing, it was noted that Regalado-Solis had prior federal felony convictions for transporting aliens and drug trafficking within the United States. He also pleaded guilty to conspiring to assault eight members of a rival gang at a detention facility in August 2023, using a shank during the incident.
"This is a clear example of why border security is so essential," said Ganjei. "People with this type of criminal history and affiliation should not be allowed to illegally enter the country and establish themselves. We will be working diligently together with our partners to identify similar offenders, prosecute them and seek their removal from our country."
Regalado-Solis was last removed from the United States on March 2, 2021, following a conviction for illegal reentry after removal and violation of supervised release. Authorities encountered him again on March 29, 2023, in the McKendrick Ranch area near Laredo.
His record includes other convictions for illegal reentry, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and transporting an illegal alien for financial gain. These offenses led to previous sentences and removals from the United States.
Regalado-Solis remains in custody pending sentencing on another case before his transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Border Patrol, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose Homero Ramirez and Bryan Oliver prosecuted the case.
