A 38-year-old Mexican national, Esequiel Rueda-Ramirez, was sentenced on May 11 to 48 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after removal, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Rueda-Ramirez pleaded guilty to the offense on Nov. 13, 2025. The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address repeated illegal entries into the country and enforce immigration laws.
U.S. District Judge Hanen ordered that Rueda-Ramirez serve his sentence in a federal prison facility yet to be determined. At sentencing, evidence was presented regarding his criminal history while unlawfully present in the United States, including convictions for evading arrest, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to deliver cocaine and prior illegal reentry offenses.
Authorities first removed Rueda-Ramirez from the United States in February 2010; he returned multiple times without authorization before being discovered again by law enforcement on June 2, 2022. He is expected to face removal proceedings following completion of his prison term and will remain in custody until transfer.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations led the investigation into this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Hostetter prosecuted it as part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice focused on addressing illegal immigration and related crimes.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas has offices in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville; it employs more than 200 attorneys serving over nine million people across 43 counties while prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for the government—according to its official website. Notable former leaders include Alamdar Hamdani (2022–2025) and Ryan Patrick as documented on its official history page.
