A 38-year-old Mexican national, Cesar Ruiz-Aguilar, has been charged with illegal reentry into the United States. Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that the charge was filed on February 13, 2025. The violation is under Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
The charging document states that Ruiz-Aguilar was found in the U.S. on February 1, 2024. He had reentered without authorization from the U.S. Attorney General after previous deportations on March 13, 2010, and May 17, 2017.
If convicted, Ruiz-Aguilar could face a maximum of two years in prison and up to one year of supervised release. He also faces a potential fine of up to $250,000 and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson emphasized that "a bill of information is merely a charge" and noted that guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Simpson acknowledged the efforts of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations as well as the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office for their work in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri from the General Crimes Unit will handle the prosecution.