A 26-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for unlawfully reentering the United States, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Abelino Hernandez-Torres, who pleaded guilty on November 26, 2024, will serve a 60-month sentence in federal prison as ordered by U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera.
Hernandez-Torres, not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings after his imprisonment. His criminal history includes prior convictions for illegal reentry, evading arrest with a motor vehicle, and assault on a public servant. He was initially removed from the United States in 2015 and again in subsequent years but returned illegally each time. He was located in Olmito following an arrest for evading arrest with a motor vehicle on January 20, 2021.
Following his sentencing, Hernandez-Torres will remain in custody until he is transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility yet to be determined.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano prosecuted the case.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators. The operation consolidates efforts from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
