A Mexican citizen has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after being removed eight times previously, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Julio Cesar Corona-Corona, 30, had pleaded guilty to the charge on October 7, 2024. He is expected to face removal proceedings once again following the completion of his prison sentence.
During the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal, noted Corona-Corona's consistent determination to unlawfully reenter the United States despite previous court warnings. This sentiment was echoed in the court’s decision to impose a three-year term of supervised release as a deterrent to future unlawful entries.
Corona-Corona’s criminal history includes convictions for illegal reentry and human smuggling. He was first deported from the United States on January 25, 2014, but returned illegally multiple times between 2014 and 2020.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing, following an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Houston Police Department.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels, and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” the Department stated.
The defendant remains in custody awaiting transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
“What those outside our country need to understand is that despite what they may have heard in the past, our immigration laws are being strictly enforced,” stated Ganjei. “If somebody breaks our laws by sneaking across the border, they are going to be prosecuted, jailed, and then deported. The sooner that message spreads, the better it will be for everyone.”