Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson has announced the sentencing of Santiago Puente-Garcia, a 26-year-old native of Mexico, for illegal reentry into the United States. Puente-Garcia was sentenced on April 30, 2025, after pleading guilty to the charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien, which is a violation under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
United States District Judge Lance M. Africk handed down a sentence that includes time served in prison and one year of supervised release. Additionally, Puente-Garcia must pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Court records reveal that Puente-Garcia had been previously deported from the United States on February 4, 2022. He was discovered again in the Eastern District of Louisiana on October 29, 2024.
In his statement, Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson commended the efforts of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations for their role in investigating this case. The prosecution is being led by Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri from the General Crimes Unit.
