Last week of April sees another 244 charged as part of Operation Take Back America efforts

HOUSTON - A total of 239 cases have been filed in immigration and border security-related matters from April 24-30, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.

The Southern District of Texas filed a total of 163 criminal complaints for illegal entry, while another 53 people face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. The cases also include charges against 28 people allegedly involved in human smuggling. Most have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more.

As part of the new cases, Mexican national Jose Luis Anguiana-Ruiz was allegedly removed from the United States just a few weeks ago - April 6. However, authorities discovered him again in the country near Mercedes, according to the charges. The criminal complaint alleges he has a conviction for aggravated sexual assault of a child.

Law enforcement also allegedly discovered Honduran national Degny Oshmarlin Molina-Villatoro near Roma, despite having been previously removed June 2, 2025. According to the complaint, he has previous convictions for aggravated assault, carrying a concealed weapon and two illegal reentries.

Four more felons were also allegedly found in the McAllen area despite having been removed previously - Maria Asucena Martinez-Hernandez, Guadalupe Gutierrez-Moreno, Homero Rodriguez-Martinez and Servando Morales-Diaz, all of Mexico. The charges allege all had been previously removed following their various convictions of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, felony possession of marijuana, importation of meth, illegal reentry, burglary of a habitation and/or assault on a public servant.

All six did not have legal authorization to be in the country, according to the allegations, and face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.

In addition to the new cases, a federal jury in Houston found 36-year-old Mexican national Luis Alberto Banda Acosta guilty of unlawfully reentering the country without authorization. The defense attempted to convince the jury he was involuntarily present under duress and had been kidnapped and forced to swim across the border. However, the jury heard evidence he was freely residing in the United States, including traveling to multiple locations, receiving pay stubs and making purchases at a lingerie store.

In another trial victory, a Laredo jury convicted a 21-year-old Laredo man of transporting an alien and conspiring to do so following a three-day trial. On Dec. 15, 2025, Erik Rafael Salas drove a white pickup truck, traveling in tandem with another suspected smuggling vehicle. He soon led authorities on a high-speed chase near Laredo while transporting several illegal aliens. Salas crashed into a private gate after spike strips punctured his tire. He then bailed out of the vehicle along with the aliens. One of them testified how she feared for her life as Salas drove recklessly to evade authorities and even asked him to stop. Salas now faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

In Corpus Christi, Jesus Grimaldo aka Chuy received a 121-month sentence for leading a human smuggling organization that resulted in death. The court found a death occurred during the scheme and would not have happened but for his leadership role. The investigation began after authorities discovered a deceased man in Brooks County who died from heat exposure. Analysis of the victim's phone revealed multiple payments to Grimaldo through CashApp and Zelle. Authorities determined he arranged transportation from the Rio Grande Valley and profited from smuggling individuals in extreme heat, including in vehicle trunks.

The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The cases are 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.

Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.