A Mexican national, Esteban De Paz Jimenez, has been sentenced to seven months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed. He remains subject to an earlier removal order.
“This case underscores the importance of immigration enforcement to protect our nation and our people,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Esteban De Paz Jimenez repeatedly violated our immigration laws and committed a serious assault against his then-estranged wife. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect victims and remove violent criminals who pose a threat to public safety from the United States.”
Court documents show that De Paz Jimenez, 39, had been deported three times since 2010 but returned each time without authorization. Between 2016 and 2020, he was convicted six times for driving without a license.
Immigration officials discovered he was in the country unlawfully after his arrest on April 7, 2025, in Caroline County on state charges including strangulation, preventing summoning of law enforcement, and malicious wounding. On March 30, 2025, De Paz Jimenez reportedly followed his then-estranged wife home, argued with her, choked her, shoved her to the ground, pulled out a large portion of her hair, and took her phone so she could not call for help.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Day prosecuted the case.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at addressing illegal immigration and violent crime.
Further information about this case can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or through PACER by searching Case No. 3:25-cr-82.
