Mexican National Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States for the Third Time

Jackson, MS - A Mexican national was sentenced to three years in federal prison today for illegally reentering the United States following multiple prior deportations and felony convictions.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 17, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol Agents were conducting enforcement operations in Rankin County on Interstate 20. Agents conducted a vehicle stop and Luis Simon Acevedo-Rodriguez, 33, freely admitted to being a citizen of Mexico and to being present in the United States without the requisite permission. He was arrested and processed for removal. Acevedo-Rodriguez's fingerprints were scanned into DHS databases resulting in a computer match to his prior immigration records, including photographs. Acevedo-Rodriguez has previously been convicted three times in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas - once for improper entry by an alien and twice for illegal reentry by a deported or removed alien. He has been formally removed from the United States three times previously.

A Criminal Complaint was filed against Acevedo-Rodriguz on March 20, 2025. Acevedo-Rodriguez was then indicted by a federal grand jury on April 8, 2025, and pleaded guilty to unlawful return of an alien removed after conviction of a felony on June 6, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana; and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol's New Orleans Sector, made the announcement.

The United States Border Patrol investigated the case with assistance from the Rankin County Sherriff's Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.

This case was investigated by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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).