Mexican national pleads guilty to illegally reentering the United States multiple times

LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Mexican citizen pleaded guilty to reentering the United States illegally after being removed at least three times.

Juan Jose Mendoza-Ibarra, 38, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, the defendant was found to be in Lafayette in July of 2017 after an arrest. He had previously been removed from the United States at least three times on March 11, 2016, August 5, 2016 and February 10, 2017.

Mendoza-Ibarra faces two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a November 27, 2017 sentencing date.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.