Honduran Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Honduran citizen was sentenced today to six months in federal prison for illegally returning to the United States after being deported.

According to public court documents, Francisco Antonio Santos Martinez, 35, had previously been deported three times from the United States. In February 2024, Minnesota law enforcement encountered Santos Martinez when he was arrested for disorderly conduct. He was released from Minnesota state custody. In August 2024, Santos Martinez was encountered by Iowa law enforcement and later convicted for public intoxication in the Iowa District Court for Polk County.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Santos Martinez will be surrendered to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings and will also be required to serve a one-year term of supervised release.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.