Source: Office of United States Attorneys
A Mexican man who was illegally in the United States pled guilty June 9, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Gerardo Morales-Ramirez, a citizen of Mexico, was convicted of being a felon found in the United States after illegal reentry.
On February 28, 2025, Morales-Ramirez was arrested in Sioux City, Iowa, after an encounter with officers from the Department of Homeland Security. Officers were able to determine Morales-Ramirez is a citizen of Mexico, that he did not have permission to lawfully be present in the United States, and that he was previously removed from the United States on three occasions. Prior to his last removal in 2021, Morales-Ramirez had been convicted of felony operating while intoxicated – third or subsequent offense.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Morales-Ramirez remains in custody of the United States Marshals and will remain in custody pending sentencing. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-4014. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.