John E. Childress Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
Pedro Zuniga-Lopez, a 35-year-old Mexican national, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States. The sentence includes an additional two years of supervised release following his imprisonment. Zuniga-Lopez pleaded guilty to the charge of illegal reentry after deportation.
Court documents reveal that Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officers were informed by the Indiana Department of Corrections on September 19, 2024, about Zuniga-Lopez's custody status. He was held following a conviction for domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman and was scheduled for release on October 22, 2024.
Zuniga-Lopez had previously been deported multiple times, including once in 2018 and twice in 2020. His entry into the United States is prohibited due to his aggravated felony conviction under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which restricts legal reentry for aliens convicted of certain crimes.
His criminal history includes prior federal convictions for illegal reentry and convictions for breaking and entering and domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman. In 2024, while unlawfully present in the U.S., he assaulted his pregnant girlfriend after she objected to drugs in her home. Her three children witnessed the attack. Following this incident, Zuniga-Lopez broke into her home again before being apprehended by police.
John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, stated: “While in the United States unlawfully, this defendant has repeatedly broken the law, demonstrating time and time again a fundamental lack of respect for this country.” He added that Zuniga-Lopez poses a threat to vulnerable individuals such as women and children.
Douglas Thompson from ERO Chicago commented on ICE's efforts: “Our ICE Officers work tirelessly to protect the homeland through our efforts with border security, national security and our drive to keep the public safe.” He emphasized consequences are necessary for criminal aliens like Zuniga-Lopez who endanger communities.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress expressed gratitude towards Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood for prosecuting this case.
This sentencing is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators through collaboration among various Department of Justice entities.
