Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Mexican national with a history of felony convictions has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced that Hector Castillo-Molina, 27, pleaded guilty on September 13, 2024.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales handed down the sentence, highlighting Castillo-Molina's extensive criminal record as "concerning." The court noted that continued illegal reentry would result in further imprisonment for Castillo-Molina.
Castillo-Molina's criminal history includes five felonies such as burglary, drug possession, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and illegal reentry into the United States. He has been deported multiple times and was last removed from the country in August 2022. Authorities found him again on April 27, 2024, at the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint among 59 individuals in a tractor-trailer.
Following his sentencing, Castillo-Molina is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his prison term. He will remain in custody until transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Border Patrol agents and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
