Mexican man sentenced to prison for illegal reentry

MISSOULA - A Mexican man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced yesterday to 15 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Rigonaldo Diaz-Chixna, 30, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to illegal reentry.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on December 10, 2024, Diaz-Chixna, a Mexican citizen was arrested in Bozeman for obstructing a peace officer and for two outstanding warrants. Law enforcement officers conducted fingerprint analysis which confirmed Diaz-Chixna's most recent removal from the United States was on or about July 19, 2022. This removal occurred after his felony conviction for illegal reentry on June 3, 2022, in the District of Montana. There is no indication in Department of Homeland Security files that Diaz-Chixna ever applied for or obtained the permission of the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and Bozeman Police Department.

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).

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