Mexican National Sentenced to 12 Months for Unlawfully Reentering the US

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Mexican national was sentenced on Sept. 25, 2025, for illegally reentering the United States.

Juan Hernandez-Sandoval, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 12 months and a day in federal prison. Hernandez-Sandoval pleaded guilty on Feb. 6, 2025, to illegal reentry after a felony conviction.

Hernandez-Sandoval had been deported or returned to Mexico on four prior occasions. He was convicted in 2017 of being an alien present without admission or parole and was subsequently deported to Mexico that same year.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Operation Take Back America

This case is 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).