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Press Release

Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported Four Times

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Iowa
Has Two Prior Convictions for Illegally Reentering the U.S. and Six Convictions for Operating While Intoxicated

A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported four times was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison.

Aron Vargas-Acosta, age 40, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 28, 2022, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported.

At the guilty plea, Vargas-Acosta admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.  Vargas-Acosta was previously deported in April 2003, January 2008, July 2010, and April 2016. 

Vargas-Acosta was convicted of operating while intoxicated in Marshall County in April 2000, in Tama County in January 2001, and in Polk County in October 2001.  In June 2002, he was convicted of operating while intoxicated in Marshall County and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.  In April 2003, Vargas-Acosta was deported to Mexico for the first time. 

In September 2004, Vargas-Acosta was convicted of domestic assault.  In December 2005, he was convicted of driving while barred, identity theft and possession of marijuana.  In July 2006, he received his fifth conviction for operating while intoxicated and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.  In January 2008, Vargas-Acosta was deported to Mexico for the second time.

In May 2008, Vargas-Acosta was arrested by immigration authorities in Texas.  In October 2008, he was convicted in the Southern District of Texas of illegally reentering the United States and sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.  In July 2010, Vargas-Acosta was deported to Mexico for the third time. 

In November 2014, Vargas-Acosta was convicted in the Southern District of Iowa of illegally reentering the United States and sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment.  In April 2016, Vargas-Acosta was deported to Mexico for the fourth time. 

On September 13, 2022, immigration officials learned Vargas-Acosta had illegally returned to the United States and found Vargas-Acosta at the Tama County Jail following his arrest and conviction for possession of a controlled substance and operating while intoxicated.

Vargas-Acosta was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Vargas-Acosta was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Vargas-Acosta is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl

The case file number is 22-CR-90.

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Updated April 27, 2023

Topic
Immigration