U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced Friday a significant increase in immigration and border security-related prosecutions in the Southern District of Texas. Between April 11th and April 17th, a total of 216 new cases were filed, highlighting the ongoing challenges at the border.
A concerning number of these cases, 86 in total, involve individuals charged with illegally reentering the United States after prior deportation. Of particular note is that the majority of these individuals have prior felony convictions, including serious offenses such as narcotics trafficking, firearms violations, sexual offenses, and previous immigration crimes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office highlighted several specific instances of felony reentry. Alejandro Contreras-Zapata, a Mexican national, was apprehended near Roma.
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He had been previously sentenced to a 20-year prison term for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon before his removal on March 7th. Erika Camacho-Rodriguez, also from Mexico, was found in the same area after being removed on March 31st following a conviction for transporting illegal aliens. Cesar Garcia-Rivas, another Mexican national, was discovered near Rio Grande City. He had reportedly been deported on October 21, 2020, after serving a 70-month sentence for kidnapping.
Authorities also reported the apprehension of three other men near Laredo – Daniel Fimbres, Jose Alejandro Rodriguez-Panjol, and Delfino Lopez-Roque, all of whom had been recently deported within the last five months.
If convicted of illegal reentry, these individuals and others facing similar charges could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Beyond reentry cases, 119 individuals face charges for illegally entering the country for the first time. Additionally, 11 cases involve various allegations of human smuggling, underscoring the complex criminal landscape at the border.
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One alarming human smuggling case resulted in the jury conviction of 25-year-old Salma Galilea Veliz of Laredo. Veliz was found guilty of conspiracy to transport, attempting to transport, and bringing in and attempting to bring a three-year-old minor into the United States.
Her scheme involved having the child assume the identity of her own son in exchange for $2,500.
In another alarming case, Jose Rodriguez Jr., a known human smuggler, was convicted in a jury trial of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Following a swift 15-minute deliberation after a one-day trial, the jury found Rodriguez guilty.
His initial arrest in August 2024 for transporting aliens led to the discovery of approximately 150 images of CSAM on his phone, depicting the sexual assault of young children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also announced the indictment of three individuals – two undocumented immigrants and an 18-year-old Laredo man – on various firearms offenses. An investigation initiated on March 21st led to the discovery of a firearm allegedly used in a crime.
A subsequent search of a residence reportedly uncovered two machine gun conversion devices, magazines, ammunition, and multiple firearms. Erick Lopez Jr. of Laredo is charged with possession of a machine gun, while Erick Lopez-Rivera Sr. and Marcos Lora-Morales, both undocumented residents of Laredo, face charges related to the possession of firearms and ammunition. Lopez-Rivera Sr. is also charged with felony reentry.
U.S. Attorney Ganjei emphasized the collaborative efforts of various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in these investigations.
Agencies involved include Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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