A member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for reentering the United States illegally. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei regarding Jose Luis Regalado-Solis, who pleaded guilty on June 5, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña delivered the sentence and noted that Regalado-Solis, not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his sentence. During the hearing, the court highlighted his previous federal felony convictions related to transporting aliens and drug trafficking in the United States. Additionally, he had pleaded guilty to conspiring to assault eight members of a rival gang at a detention facility in August 2023 using a shank.
“This is a clear example of why border security is so essential,” stated 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 was last removed from the United States on March 2, 2021, following a conviction for illegal reentry after removal and violation of supervised release. Authorities encountered him again on March 29, 2023, near Laredo in the McKendrick Ranch area.
His record includes other convictions for illegal reentry as well as possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and transporting an illegal alien for financial gain. He remains in custody pending sentencing on another case before being transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Border Patrol, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose Homero Ramirez and Bryan Oliver prosecuted the case.