A member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, 48-year-old Jose Luis Regalado-Solis, has been sentenced to federal prison for unlawfully reentering the United States. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei revealed that Regalado-Solis, who pleaded guilty on June 5, 2023, received an 84-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña in Laredo, Texas.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, Regalado-Solis, who is not a U.S. citizen, is anticipated to undergo removal proceedings after his imprisonment. The court emphasized his previous federal felony convictions for transporting aliens and drug trafficking within the United States.
Judge Saldaña emphasized the seriousness of the attack in which he used a shank, as he pleaded guilty to conspiring to assault eight members of a rival gang at a detention facility in August 2023.
“This is a clear example of why border security is so essential,” said Ganjei. “People with this type of criminal history and affiliation should not be allowed to illegally enter the country and establish themselves. We will be working diligently together with our partners to identify similar offenders, prosecute them and seek their removal from our country.”
Regalado-Solis had been deported from the United States on March 2, 2021, following a sentence for a previous illegal reentry and violation of supervised release. However, on March 29, 2023, authorities came across him once again in the McKendrick Ranch area near Laredo. It is worth noting that he has a history of convictions for illegal reentry, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and transporting an illegal alien for private financial gain. Consequently, he had previously faced sentencing and removal from the United States for these crimes.
He is currently in custody while awaiting sentencing for another case and his transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The Border Patrol conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose Homero Ramirez and Bryan Oliver prosecuted the case.
