Illegal Alien With Prior Drug Trafficking, Sexual Abuse of a Child, and Firearm Theft Convictions Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry

An illegal alien from Mexico, previously convicted of drug trafficking, sexual abuse of a child, and theft of a firearm, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Ivan Hernandez-Ortiz, 36, residing in Dallas, Texas, was indicted in March 2023 and pled guilty in October 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after he was last deported by immigration authorities in 2020.  On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown sentenced him to 120 months in federal prison.

According to evidence presented at sentencing, Hernandez-Ortiz illegally entered the United States approximately five times, was granted voluntary return on three occasions, and was formally removed twice.  Previously, he was federally prosecuted for illegal reentry into the United States in the Southern District of Texas in 2015 and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison.  

Court records reflect that Hernandez-Ortiz was also convicted of six other felonies, including drug trafficking, firearm theft, and sexual abuse of a child—the victim of which was a 15-year-old female recognized during a traffic stop by Dallas Police Department officers as a child identified on a bulletin as missing and potentially being sex trafficked.  Evidence at sentencing revealed that Hernandez-Ortiz previously admitted to being in a dating relationship with the victim and that she was pregnant with his unborn child.  For the current illegal reentry offense, the lead prosecutor sought the maximum sentence allowed by statute, and the Court agreed.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Marbel Leonel Munoz prosecuted the case.