U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the filing of 216 new cases related to immigration and border offenses for the week of April 11-17. Among the cases, 86 individuals are charged with illegal reentry, many having prior felony convictions in narcotics, firearms, sexual offenses, or immigration crimes. Another 119 individuals face charges for illegal entry, and 11 cases involve human smuggling activities, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Alejandro Contreras-Zapata, a Mexican national, was arrested near Roma, Texas, after being deported on March 7. He had previously been sentenced to 20 years for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Erika Camacho-Rodriguez was also arrested near Roma for reentering the U.S. illegally after being deported on March 31 for transporting illegal aliens. Cesar Garcia-Rivas and three others were charged with reentry without authorization. Salma Galilea Veliz, a 25-year-old from Laredo, was convicted for attempting to smuggle a three-year-old boy into the U.S. using her son's identity for $2,500. Jose Rodriguez Jr. was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material after being arrested for transporting aliens in August 2024, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The Department of Justice announced an indictment involving illegal firearms possession. Erick Lopez Jr., 18, from Laredo, was charged with possessing a machine gun. Erick Lopez-Rivera Sr., 37, and Marcos Lora-Morales, 24, both undocumented immigrants from Laredo, were indicted for being aliens in possession of ammunition and firearms. Authorities found machine gun conversion devices, firearms, magazines, and ammunition at the searched location. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative to address illegal immigration and dismantle criminal networks. The Southern District of Texas works with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to prosecute these offenses, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
