U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei made a strong effort to tackle illegal immigration and criminal activities at the border by revealing that 245 new cases have been filed in the last week.
The Southern District of Texas (SDTX) is known as one of the busiest districts in the country, covering 44,000 square miles and a population of 9 million people. Federal, state, and local law enforcement collaborate closely to prosecute offenders and maintain safety throughout the region.
Authorities are continuously working to enhance border security and combat illegal activities such as human smuggling and unauthorized entry into the country.
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115 charged with illegal re-entry: Many of the accused individuals have serious felony convictions. Among them, Santos Demetrio Marquez-Hernandez, a convicted sex offender from El Salvador, now faces up to 20 years in prison for re-entering the U.S. after being removed.
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118 charged with illegal entry: Individuals from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Vietnam were caught attempting to enter the country unlawfully.
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10 human smuggling cases: Juan Daniel Pena and Jose Cristian Cantu Jr. were arrested for attempting to smuggle 15 people through a Border Patrol checkpoint in Sarita.
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High-profile smuggling and border security cases
This Article Includes
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Noel Mercado: Convicted of smuggling four illegal aliens, hidden inside a truck’s modified wheel wells and fuel tank. Mercado faces severe legal penalties. “As the Department cracks down on human smuggling and illegal immigration, we can expect smugglers to get more desperate, and thus more creative,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
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Gerardo Rodriguez-Toscano: Attempted to evade U.S. law enforcement at the Hidalgo port of entry, injuring an officer during the struggle. He faces up to 8 years in prison.
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Elger Cotto-Navarro: A Honduran man who falsely claimed to be a minor to gain entry into the U.S. He later admitted to providing false information and now faces legal action.
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Operation Take Back America
As part of a federal initiative known as Operation Take Back America, these cases aim to address issues such as illegal immigration, cartel activity, and violent crime.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that an indictment or criminal complaint simply serves as a formal accusation and is not definitive proof of any wrongdoing. All individuals implicated are considered innocent until proven guilty following the appropriate legal procedures. With assistance from entities such as ICE, Border Patrol, DEA, and FBI, the focus of the operation remains on safeguarding communities and enhancing border security.