The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma has announced that Manuel De Jesus Lira Aguilar, a 51-year-old Mexican national unlawfully present in Carter County, Oklahoma, has pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry of a removed alien. This charge can result in imprisonment for up to ten years and a fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division along with the Carter County Sheriff’s Office. The indictment stated that on October 21, 2024, Lira Aguilar was found in the United States after having been previously removed without obtaining permission from the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aiming to address illegal immigration and dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations. It utilizes resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Gerald L. Jackson accepted Lira Aguilar's plea and ordered a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will later determine his sentence based on sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Lira Aguilar remains in custody pending sentencing. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dak T. Cohen and Jonathan E. Soverly.