Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A recent announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei reveals that 256 cases have been filed from April 25 to May 1, 2025, aimed at securing the southern border. Among those cases, 83 individuals face charges of illegally reentering the United States, with many having prior felony convictions for serious offenses. Overall, 160 individuals are charged with illegal entry, and 13 cases involve human smuggling, with the rest involving other immigration-related violations.
The criminal complaints include three Mexican nationals in the McAllen area accused of illegal presence in the country. Luciano Ojeda, Sergio Salazar-Gonzalez, and Maria Del Carmen Gutierrez-Perez have previous convictions for robbery, driving while intoxicated, and injury with intent to cause bodily harm, respectively, before being removed from the U.S.
Two adults from Guatemala, Tadeo Pedro Torres and Marvin Ixcoy-Ajqui, face indictments for allegedly providing false statements about their age to gain entry as unaccompanied minors. They were transferred to juvenile shelters without proper guardianship. The allegations claim they were adults misrepresenting their dates of birth.
In another case, a Houston jury convicted Mailon Almendares-Martinez, linked to an alien transport operation that resulted in gunfire from a rival smuggling organization. Almendares-Martinez is found guilty of endangering the lives of individuals and faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
“This case demonstrates—like so many cases before it—that human smuggling is an inhumane, dangerous, and sometimes fatal business,” said Ganjei. “Those that smuggle human beings for profit deserve prosecution, and those that would willingly place themselves in a situation to be smuggled need to think twice. Stay home, stay safe.”
In Corpus Christi, Louis Dante Anthony was sentenced to 30 months for smuggling three dozen illegal aliens in a cramped, airless compartment. In Laredo, Marco Cupil-Hernandez pleaded guilty to assaulting a Border Patrol agent during an attempt to flee. He may face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Other sentencing in McAllen includes Porfirio Martinez-Santos of Mexico, sentenced to 42 months, and Juan Esteban Zelaya-Hernandez of Honduras, sentenced to 21 months for illegally reentering the U.S. Despite prior removals, Julio Cesar Corona-Corona received a 37-month sentence for returning to the U.S. illegally. Alfredo Balderas-Rivera, also from Mexico, received 50 months after multiple deportations for reentering the country unlawfully.
Federal and state law enforcement agencies, including ICE and the FBI, supported these cases as part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aiming to combat illegal immigration and related crimes. The Southern District of Texas, covering 44,000 square miles and over nine million people, continues its efforts to maintain public safety and border security.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys across seven divisions, including Houston, Corpus Christi, and Laredo, coordinate with law enforcement to prosecute federal crimes. It is important to note that an indictment or complaint is not evidence of guilt, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
