Reported / Citable
Background
Defendant Manuel Cardona-Garcia was sentenced on February 20, 2018, in the Eastern District of Texas, following a guilty plea to Reentry of a Deported Alien. He received a sentence of 7 months imprisonment followed by a 1-year term of supervised release, which began on February 23, 2018. Special conditions of his release included financial disclosure, substance abuse testing and treatment, and deportation, requiring him to remain outside the United States if deported.
On September 14, 2018, a Petition for Warrant or Summons for Offender Under Supervision was filed, alleging two violations of Cardona-Garcia’s supervised release conditions. The first alleged violation was committing another federal crime, specifically the unlawful reentry of a deported alien. The second alleged violation was failing to remain outside the United States after deportation and not reporting to the nearest U.S. Probation Office upon re-entry.
The Petition claimed that Cardona-Garcia was deported to Mexico around February 26, 2018, but unlawfully re-entered the U.S. on or about July 29, 2018. He was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol on August 7, 2018, near Falfurrias, Texas, and subsequently removed on August 10, 2018. The Petition asserted that these actions constituted a violation of his supervised release terms.
The Court’s Holding
The U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Texas conducted a hearing on June 29, 2026, regarding the request for revocation of Manuel Cardona-Garcia’s supervised release. Prior to the Government presenting its case, the Defendant entered a plea of “true” to both allegations outlined in the Petition for Warrant or Summons for Offender Under Supervision.
Based on the Defendant’s admission, the court found that Manuel Cardona-Garcia did violate the conditions of his supervised release. Specifically, he admitted to committing the offense of Re-entry of a Deported Alien and to failing to remain outside the United States after deportation, and not reporting to the U.S. Probation Office upon his return.
The Magistrate Judge recommended that Cardona-Garcia’s supervised release be revoked. The recommendation includes a new sentence of ten (10) months imprisonment, to run consecutively to the sentence imposed in another case, Cause No. 4:25-CR-00228. The Judge further recommended that no additional term of supervised release follow this new imprisonment, and suggested housing Cardona-Garcia in a Bureau of Prisons facility in Fort Worth, Texas, if appropriate.
Key Takeaways
- Defendant Manuel Cardona-Garcia admitted to violating his supervised release conditions.
- The violations stemmed from his unlawful reentry into the United States after being deported and failing to report to probation.
- The Magistrate Judge recommended revoking supervised release and imposing an additional 10-month imprisonment sentence.
- The recommended 10-month sentence is to be served consecutively to a separate, existing sentence.
Why It Matters
This report and recommendation illustrates the serious consequences for individuals who violate the terms of their supervised release, particularly in cases involving immigration offenses. The Defendant’s admission to unlawful reentry and failure to comply with reporting requirements led directly to a recommendation for further incarceration, demonstrating the court’s strict enforcement of supervised release conditions.
The recommendation for a consecutive sentence and no further supervised release underscores the judiciary’s approach to repeated non-compliance. For legal practitioners, this case highlights the importance of advising clients on the severe penalties for supervised release violations, especially when those violations involve new criminal conduct or disregard for deportation orders.