Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have initiated criminal proceedings against 34 individuals accused of being found in the United States following their removal. Many of these defendants were previously convicted of felonies such as domestic violence, unlawful sex with a minor, and assault with a deadly weapon before their removal.
The crime of re-entering the United States after removal carries serious legal repercussions. Those previously deported following a felony conviction could face up to a 10-year prison sentence, while individuals with aggravated felony convictions could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Among the defendants, Maximo Medrano, 59, from Mexico, has been charged with illegal re-entry. Medrano was previously removed from the U.S. in 1998 and 2023 and has a past conviction for transporting a controlled substance in Monterey County. He also has a conviction from Orange County for inflicting corporal injury upon a spouse or cohabitant and multiple counts of disorderly conduct. Medrano is set to appear in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
Similarly, Adrian Chopin-Sánchez, 32, also from Mexico, was charged following his removal from the U.S. in 2017 and a previous conviction in 2013 for unlawful sex with a minor. Daniel Giovanni Rivera-Peralta, 32, faces charges after his 2021 removal, having a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon in 2020. Assistant United States Attorney MiRi Song and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Scally are prosecuting these cases.
Aside from these cases, federal prosecutors have charged four individuals with conspiracy to transport stolen money. The accused allegedly stole $10,000 at a gas station in Los Angeles following the victim from nearby bank branches, as law enforcement monitored the suspects. In this instance, defendants attempted to flee but were apprehended, and the stolen money was recovered.
The individuals facing these charges are Javier Jesús Cordoza Araújo, 41, of Venezuela; Ingrid Carolina Medina, 40, of Colombia; Gladys Gruz Navarro, 62, of Venezuela; and Guadalupe Delcristo Martínez, 46, of Mexico. The Orange County Violent Crimes Task Force is investigating these offenses, with Assistant United States Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe and Kevin J. Butler leading the prosecution.
Criminal complaints are composed of allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until found guilty in court.
These prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America, a campaign by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. The operation coordinates resources from several federal enforcement initiatives, aiming to protect communities from violent crime.