A federal grand jury in Jackson has indicted a Gibson County man for failing to comply with sex offender registry requirements and illegally reentering the United States. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the indictment.
Jose Alfredo Melendez-Hernandez, 52, was arrested on February 12, 2025. Authorities found that he was living in Trenton without registering as a sex offender, a requirement under federal law following his previous conviction for sexual battery in Oklahoma. Further investigation revealed that Melendez-Hernandez had been deported in 2009 and did not have permission from the Secretary of Homeland Security to return to the U.S.
Melendez-Hernandez is charged with failing to register as a sex offender under 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a) and illegal reentry under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(2). The case will be heard by United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson in Jackson, TN. If convicted, Judge Anderson will determine the sentence based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Homeland Security.
"The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren. "The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law."
Assistant United States Attorney Immanuel Chioco is prosecuting the case with thanks extended to law enforcement partners involved in the investigation.
For further information, contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov or follow updates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or X at @WDTNNews.