Source: Office of United States Attorneys
HOUSTON – A 30-year-old Mexican citizen with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after eight previous removals, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Julio Cesar Corona-Corona pleaded guilty Oct. 7, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Ho has now ordered Corona-Corona to serve 37 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court heard how Corona-Corona was arrested in 2022 for smuggling aliens after he fled from police in a vehicle carrying eight others, creating dangerous conditions for the vehicle occupants as well as the community. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ho noted Corona-Corona’s motivation to come to the United States, be it for work or family residing here – is not unique. The court added that, despite prior court warnings not to do so, Corona-Corona was determined to unlawfully reenter the United States, as evidenced by his repeated encounters with immigration authorities. Corona-Corona also received a three-year-term of supervised released to commence after completion of his prison sentence as an added deterrent to unlawful reentry into the United States.
Corona-Corona has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as human smuggling. He was first removed from the United States Jan. 25, 2014, and returned illegally eight times between 2014 and April 2020. In fact, authorities had removed him six times alone between 2017-2018.
Corona-Corona will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
“What those outside our country need to understand is that despite what they may have heard in the past, our immigration laws are being strictly enforced,” said Ganjei. “If somebody breaks our laws by sneaking across the border, they are going to be prosecuted, jailed, and then deported. The sooner that message spreads, the better it will be for everyone.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing prosecuted the case.
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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.