A jury in Rapid City, South Dakota, has found Celso Diaz-Martinez, a 52-year-old Mexican national, guilty of illegal reentry after deportation. The United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced the conviction following a day-long trial in federal district court. The verdict was delivered on February 18, 2025.
The charge against Diaz-Martinez could result in a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. Additionally, he faces one year of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Diaz-Martinez was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. During the trial, evidence revealed that he is not a U.S. citizen and had been deported from the country four times previously. He was discovered in Meade County, South Dakota, in November 2024 without having obtained consent for re-entry from either the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Meade County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Lindrooth and Benjamin Schroeder handled the prosecution.
A presentence investigation has been ordered, but no sentencing date has been set yet. Meanwhile, Diaz-Martinez remains in custody with the U.S. Marshals Service.