A Mexican national, Jose Ricardo Lopez Munoz, aged 49, residing in Las Vegas, has been charged with illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed from the country on three occasions. He made his initial court appearance on Monday facing one count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is set for April 28, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe.
Lopez Munoz, originally from Mexico, has been deported and removed from the United States on November 13, 1995, February 26, 1997, and August 1, 2013. It is alleged he reentered the United States illegally on or before November 28, 2023. He was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 13, 2025.
The accused is known to have 18 aliases and previous felony convictions including illegal re-entry, menacing, and a challenge to fight with a deadly weapon with the intent to assist a criminal gang. These convictions were from the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Texas, the District Court in El Paso County, Colorado, and the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, Nevada, respectively.
ICE discovered Lopez Munoz's presence in the United States on December 1, 2023, after an arrest by state law enforcement in Clark County, Nevada, on November 28, 2023.
If convicted, Lopez Munoz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke announced the charges. The investigation was carried out by the ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Reports of crimes or suspicious activities can be made by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing an online tip form.
It's important to note that a complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.