A Mexican national has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported three times. Francisco Rios-Munoz was found in Rankin County, Mississippi, on February 2, 2025, following his arrest by the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department on charges of aggravated assault.
Rios-Munoz was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 22, 2025, and later pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after removal of an alien on June 6, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber S. Jones prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated as part of Operation Take Back America through the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). The HSTFs were established under Executive Order 14159 during President Trump’s administration to lead joint operations focused on border security and combating criminal organizations. Operation Take Back America is a federal initiative designed to use resources from agencies such as the Department of Justice's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) programs to address illegal immigration and violent crime.
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