Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States

A man who illegally reentered the United States from Guatemala pled guilty May 21, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.

Rogelio Morales-Ramos, age 36, who had been living in Sioux Center, Iowa, was convicted of illegal reentry.

At the plea hearing, Morales-Ramos admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having been previously removed from the United States on June 13, 2019. On April 1, 2026, law enforcement in Sioux County attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Morales-Ramos for speeding. He failed to stop and subsequently fled on foot. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found an open alcohol bottle in the center console, more alcohol in the car, as well as a fictitious international driver's license. On April 4, 2026, Morales-Ramos was located at his residence in Sioux Center when he again tried to flee from law enforcement before being apprehended. Additional fictitious documentation was found in the residence. While in custody, officials determined he was a citizen of Guatemala and had previously been deported from the United States to Guatemala three times.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Morales-Ramos remains in custody pending sentencing. He faces a possible sentence of two years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff's Office and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.plLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..

The case file number is 26-CR-04014. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.