Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States and Transferred to Immigration Officials for Deportation Proceedings

MOBILE, AL – Two foreign nationals were sentenced this week for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. These felony cases were prosecuted as 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 immigration.

According to court documents, Hermes Castillo, 44, and Miguel Alvarado-Villanueva, 36, both of Honduras, were encountered by the Elberta, Alabama Police Department during a traffic stop on May 29, 2025.  Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was notified of the encounter.  HSI arrested Castillo and Alvarado after determining that they were illegally in the United States.

Castillo had previously been deported from the United States three times.  Castillo had also been convicted of Possession of Cocaine in violation of Florida state law and illegal reentry in 2012.  Alvarado had been previously deported from the United States three times.  At sentencing, Castillo and Alvarado were each sentenced to time-served and a 1-year term of supervised release upon their release if not deported.  Castillo and Alvarado had been in custody since their arrests on May 29, 2025. Both defendants were ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon their release from prison.

Several other defendants were recently prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America’s ongoing collaboration between federal agencies with the assistance of state and local law enforcement and sentenced in federal court.

In July, Miguel Castro-Gonzales, 48 of Mexico, and Albert Marel Padilla-Castro, 43, of Honduras were sentenced for illegal reentry.  The Summerdale Police Department arrested Castro-Gonzales for public intoxication and resisting arrest on May 18, 2025.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) was notified of the arrest and determined that Castro-Gonzales was previously deported on three occasions.  The Saraland Police Department encountered Padilla-Castro during a traffic stop on May 6, 2025.  United States Border Patrol (USBP) responded to the stop.  USBP arrested Padilla-Castro after determining that he was illegally present in the United States and had been previously removed on two occasions.     

In August, Antonio Flores, 41, of Mexico, Ali Torres-Barahona, 34, of Honduras, and Jorge Magana-Cartagena, 31, of El Salvador were sentenced for illegal reentry. The Foley Police Department arrested Flores for DUI in September 2023, but he was later released on bond under a false alias.  ICE/ERO determined Flores’ true identity and concluded that he was illegally in the United States and had been deported twice.  He was charged by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry and arrested in June 2025 by federal agents.  The Mobile Police Department arrested Torres-Barahona for organized retail theft on June 8, 2025. ICE/ERO was notified of the arrest and determined that Torres-Barahona was illegally in the United States and had been deported three times.  Federal agents encountered Magana during a worksite enforcement operation in Foley, Alabama on June 16, 2025.  HSI agents arrested Magana after determining he was illegally in the United States and had been deported twice.      

These defendants were all sentenced to time-served and had been in custody since their respective arrests on federal charges.  Upon their releases from prison, all defendants were ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.  All defendants were ordered to pay $100.00 each in special assessments.

U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) investigated the cases with the assistance of state and local law enforcement partners, including, the Elberta Police Department, Summerdale Police Department, Saraland Police Department, Foley Police Department, and Mobile Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.

In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, Operation Take Back America aim includes the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, the Operation Take Bank America initiative is committed to leveraging Department of Justice resources to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.