Jason M. Frierson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada
Mexican and Salvadorian nationals residing in Las Vegas appeared in court to face charges related to their illegal reentry into the United States. Wilmer Alexander Cortez-Cruz, 56, from El Salvador, and Sergio Ivan Morelos-Torres, 52, from Mexico, are both charged with being deported aliens found in the U.S. Preliminary hearings are set for April 14, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah.
Cortez-Cruz was remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 19, 2025, after the Nevada Department of Corrections handed him over based on an ICE detainer. He was previously deported on October 16, 2019, and has multiple DUI convictions, including a felony conviction.
Morelos-Torres was arrested by ICE on March 18, 2025. He had been deported to Mexico eight times and had a prior conviction for felony burglary under California Penal Code 459. Moreover, Morelos-Torres has two previous felony convictions for illegal reentry, one in the District of Colorado and another in the Central District of California.
If convicted, Morelos-Torres could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a supervised release term of three years, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Cortez-Cruz, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, a one-year supervised release term, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke. The case was investigated by the ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada.
The public is encouraged to report crimes or suspicious activities by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing an online tip form. It is important to note that a complaint is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
