Mexican National Sentenced For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Richard A. Lazarra has sentenced Julio Cesar Paniagua (55), a Mexican national, to 37 months in prison for illegal reentry into the United States by a Removed Alien. Paniagua pled guilty on January 13, 2025.

According to court documents, in 2011, Paniagua was convicted of a narcotics distribution conspiracy, and following a sentence of incarceration, was removed from the United States on December 3, 2015. Later in 2018, Paniagua attempted to illegally reenter the United States and was charged, convicted, and incarcerated. Later that year, he was once again removed from the United States. At some point thereafter, he illegally reentered the United States and was found to be living in Dade City, Florida on November 18, 2024. 

This case was investigated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.