Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A 44-year-old Mexican citizen, Arturo Cruz-Badillo, has been sentenced to federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after being previously removed from the country. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Cruz-Badillo had entered a guilty plea on November 5, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Cruz-Badillo to serve 24 months in federal prison. Post-imprisonment, he is likely to face removal proceedings due to his non-citizen status. In determining the sentence, the court acknowledged the danger posed by Cruz-Badillo's previous convictions, which include seven for driving while intoxicated (DWI) and one for battery.
Cruz-Badillo had been deported three times between 2012 and 2023. Nevertheless, he was found on August 22, 2024, by law enforcement officials at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita, Texas. He was among 11 illegal immigrants discovered being smuggled in a commercial cargo trailer.
Cruz-Badillo is set to remain in custody until he is transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The specific facility is yet to be determined. The investigation was carried out by the Border Patrol, and the prosecution is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Thorpe.
This case is part of the nationwide initiative, Operation Take Back America. The operation aims to leverage the Department of Justice's resources to combat illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguard communities from violent crime. Resources and efforts are consolidated from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
