Hilario Villegas-Espinoza, a 52-year-old Mexican national, appeared in court on Wednesday facing charges of illegal reentry into the U.S. He has been removed from the U.S. twice before, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 21, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier, III in Las Vegas, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Villegas-Espinoza has had a history of unlawful entrance, with previous deportations on November 4, 2009, and February 11, 2011. His most recent illegal entry is believed to have occurred on or before September 3, 2020, where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement became aware of his presence following an arrest by the North Las Vegas Police for multiple sex crimes against a child.
On April 22, Villegas-Espinoza was transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody after serving time in the Nevada Department of Corrections. He has a previous felony conviction for Illegal Reentry After Deportation in 2010. If convicted on current charges, he faces up to 10 years in prison, a three-year supervised release, and $250,000 in fines and $100 special assessments. The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke. The investigation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Sub-Offices, and the prosecution is handled by the District of Nevada’s U.S. Attorney's Office. Tips can be reported by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE or using an online form.
