A 44-year-old Mexican national, Fernando Ramirez-Noria, has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for unlawfully reentering the United States for the fifth time, Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck announced on Mar. 16.
The sentencing highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address repeated illegal entries and related criminal activity. Ramirez-Noria pleaded guilty on Aug. 12, 2025, and is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his sentence.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge presided over the case and heard evidence regarding Ramirez-Noria's prior convictions, which include domestic violence, driving while intoxicated (DWI), and previous illegal reentries. Law enforcement first removed Ramirez-Noria from the country in January 2015; he was last deported in June 2020 but was found again in Houston following a DWI arrest in 2023.
Ramirez-Noria will remain in custody until he is transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse prosecuted the case.
According to the official website, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas operates offices in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville and employs more than 200 attorneys covering 43 counties with a population exceeding nine million people. The office focuses on prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for the government as part of its role under the U.S. Department of Justice and serves under the Attorney General.
The district has had several notable leaders including Alamdar Hamdani (2022-2025) and Ryan Patrick among its former heads, as reported by its official history page.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, described as a nationwide initiative using Department of Justice resources "to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime."
