A Mexican national, Arturo Cruz-Badillo, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after a previous removal, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Cruz-Badillo, 44, pleaded guilty on November 5, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos imposed the sentence, considering Cruz-Badillo's previous driving while intoxicated (DWI) convictions. The court highlighted the danger such offenses pose to communities and citizens.
Cruz-Badillo has a history of legal issues, with seven prior DWI convictions and a battery conviction. He was removed from the United States three times between 2012 and 2023. On August 22, 2024, law enforcement at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita apprehended him once more in the country, alongside 10 other individuals being smuggled in a commercial cargo trailer.
Following his imprisonment, Cruz-Badillo, who is not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings again. He will remain in custody until he is transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Border Patrol conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Thorpe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice focused on combating illegal immigration and transnational crime. The operation aims to eliminate cartels and protect communities from violent crime, leveraging resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.