A Mexican national, Cesar Ruiz-Aguilar, 38, has pleaded guilty to the illegal reentry of a previously removed alien. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Ruiz-Aguilar was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on February 1, 2024, after having been previously removed from the United States on March 13, 2010, and May 17, 2017. He did not have the required permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the country.
Ruiz-Aguilar is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2025, by United States District Court Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown. He faces the possibility of up to two years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson commended the efforts of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office in investigating this case. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit.
This case is part of "Operation Take Back America," a nationwide initiative focused on tackling illegal immigration and organized crime. The initiative consolidates resources from the Department of Justice, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, and Project Safe Neighborhood.
"Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN)."