Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jose Antonio Barcena-Ruiz, 41, a citizen and national of Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that on May 31, 2025, Barcena-Ruiz was found in Erie County, NY, by Homeland Security agents but did not have documentation that allowed him to be present in the United States legally. A records check determined that Barcena-Ruiz was physically removed from the United States in 2008, two times in 2009, and in 2010.
This investigation 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.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and Immigration.
# # # #