Jason M. Frierson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada
A Mexican national, Maria Vega-Villalba, 45, appeared in federal court in Las Vegas on charges of illegally reentering the United States after being previously deported. Vega-Villalba faces one count of being a deported alien found in the United States. Her preliminary hearing is set for September 23, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J Albregts.
According to information presented in court and detailed in the criminal complaint, Vega-Villalba was removed from the United States on May 16, 2024. She was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a targeted operation on August 21, 2025—approximately fifteen months after her removal.
Court records show that on January 23, 2023, the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County convicted Vega-Villalba of Attempt Sale or Transportation for Sale of a Narcotic Drug (Fentanyl). Following her release from prison, an Immigration Judge ordered her removal on May 14, 2024. She was deported to Mexico two days later.
If convicted of the current charge, Vega-Villalba could face up to ten years in prison, one year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Jason Knight announced the charges. The case is being investigated by ICE’s Salt Lake City office based in Las Vegas and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
Members of the public are encouraged to report crimes or suspicious activity by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or submitting information through an online tip form.
"An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty."
