A Mexican national residing illegally in Lamar County, Texas, has been indicted for unlawfully reentering the United States. The announcement was made by Jay R. Combs, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.
Fernando Castaneda-Hernandez, 48, was named in an indictment issued by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas. He is charged with illegal reentry after being previously deported.
According to the indictment, Castaneda-Hernandez was found in the Eastern District of Texas on October 28, 2025. He had previously been deported on June 4, 2019.
If convicted, Castaneda-Hernandez could face up to two years in federal prison and deportation.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice that aims to address illegal immigration and target cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calli Bailey is prosecuting the case.
"A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," according to the release.
