Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
An individual who had entered the United States illegally multiple times was sentenced to federal prison on September 22, 2025. Angel Aranda-Vazquez, a 37-year-old citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty on June 25, 2025, to being found in the country after illegal reentry. Authorities discovered that Aranda-Vazquez had previously been removed from the U.S. and was later located in Tama County, Iowa, where he attempted to use identification documents unlawfully.
Chief Judge C.J. Williams of the United States District Court in Cedar Rapids sentenced Aranda-Vazquez to 168 days in prison. Following his release from prison, he will serve a one-year term of supervised release. Federal law does not allow parole.
Aranda-Vazquez is currently held by the United States Marshal’s Service and will be transferred to immigration officials after completing his sentence.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin. The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation.
"This case is part of Operation Take Back America," according to the press release. Operation Take Back America is a national initiative by the Department of Justice designed to address illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime perpetrators. The initiative coordinates resources from several programs within the Department of Justice including Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). More information about Operation Take Back America can be found at https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline
