San Antonio law enforcement authorities have apprehended a Mexican national, Juan Ramon Hernandez-Limon, on charges related to his alleged return to the United States after being deported, according to a recent announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Hernandez-Limon, 28, found himself in custody following a surveillance operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as he tried to avoid arrest upon reaching his home.
Previously, Hernandez-Limon had been convicted on April 28, 2021, for illegal re-entry and possessing a firearm as an alien, leading to a sentence of 12 months plus one day. Court documents revealed that after his initial conviction, Hernandez-Limon once again was convicted of illegal re-entry on February 8, 2024, having been deported twice before. Making his initial appearance in federal court today, Hernandez-Limon faces a new charge of illegal re-entry, which carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years.
In a statement made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas, stressed the gravity of the case. Sentencing, yet to be determined by a federal district court judge, will take into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors.
Currently, ICE is spearheading the investigation surrounding Hernandez-Limon's case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Marie Cordova is in charge of the prosecution. It is important to note that despite the charges, a criminal complaint is not a verdict of guilt. "A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," as stated in the same announcement.
