Michael P. Drescher Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont | U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont
Artemio Cordova Mendez, a 36-year-old Mexican citizen, was sentenced to five months in prison for illegal reentry into the United States. The sentencing took place on November 13, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington, Vermont. Cordova Mendez had previously pleaded guilty to the charge and received credit for time served.
Court documents show that Cordova Mendez first entered the U.S. illegally near Lukeville, Arizona in 2010. After being convicted of illegal entry in Arizona and removed from the country, he reentered about six months later near Antelope Wells, New Mexico. He was again convicted of illegal reentry and removed. In August 2025, law enforcement encountered him in Vermont; at that time he had not obtained permission to return to the United States following his previous removals.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher stated: "I commend the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations."
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn prosecuted the case, while Christina E. Nolan represented Cordova Mendez.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, this prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a national effort by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and targeting criminal organizations.
