Reported / Citable
HOUSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas has charged another 218 people in immigration and border security-related matters from Sept. 4–10.
The cases include charges against 21 individuals—nine of whom are illegal aliens—allegedly involved in human smuggling. A total of 36 criminal complaints were filed for illegal entry, while another 150 people face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies related to narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses, and more. The remaining five cases charged this week relate to other immigration-related crimes.
As part of the newly filed complaints, Albanian national Arben Cima has been charged with illegal reentry into the country. According to the charges, authorities previously removed him March 12, 2022, before discovering him again near Mission. According to his complaint, he has a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Two others—Jose Yojcom-Rocche and Antonio Rubio-Zuniga—were also allegedly found near Roma despite having been previously removed. According to the charges, Yojcom-Rocche has a prior conviction for lewd or lascivious acts with a child, while Rubio-Zuniga has a prior conviction for aggravated robbery.
All face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, Mexican national Erik Guadalupe Ibarra Venegas was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm. Authorities responded to a report of a suspicious man carrying tools and pushing two bicycles. During the encounter, law enforcement discovered a 5.56-caliber pistol on him. The investigation revealed Venegas had overstayed his visa and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Southern District of Texas — U.S. Department of Justice press release.