Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A man previously deported from the United States has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for illegal re-entry. Rafael Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez, 39, from Mexico, was sentenced on April 16, 2025, following his guilty plea in December 2024.
Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez confessed to entering the U.S. illegally from Guatemala after his 2019 deportation by the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. His arrest occurred on February 2, 2024, in Buena Vista County for a controlled substance violation and failure to affix drug stamp, as he possessed distribution amounts of cocaine.
Sioux City, Iowa Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted by Iowa Probation on September 30, 2024, after Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez was placed on probation for possession with intent to deliver cocaine. ICE's investigation revealed he was a Mexican citizen previously removed from the U.S. three times.
The sentencing in Sioux City was conducted by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez will serve a 20-month prison sentence followed by a three-year supervised release. The federal system does not offer parole.
Martinez De Escobar-Hernandez remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until his transfer to a federal prison.
