In a significant push to combat illegal immigration and criminal activities at the border, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced that 245 new cases have been filed in the past week.
The Southern District of Texas (SDTX) remains one of the busiest districts in the country, overseeing 44,000 square miles and 9 million people. Federal, state, and local law enforcement work together to prosecute offenders and ensure safety across the region.
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These cases are part of an ongoing effort to strengthen border security and address crimes related to illegal entry, human smuggling, and other violations.
- 115 charged with illegal re-entry: Many of the accused individuals have serious felony convictions. Among them, Santos Demetrio Marquez-Hernandez, a convicted sex offender from El Salvador, now faces up to 20 years in prison for re-entering the U.S. after being removed.
- 118 charged with illegal entry: Individuals from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Vietnam were caught attempting to enter the country unlawfully.
- 10 human smuggling cases: Juan Daniel Pena and Jose Cristian Cantu Jr. were arrested for attempting to smuggle 15 people through a Border Patrol checkpoint in Sarita.
High-profile smuggling and border security cases
- Noel Mercado: Convicted of smuggling four illegal aliens, hidden inside a truck’s modified wheel wells and fuel tank. Mercado faces severe legal penalties. “As the Department cracks down on human smuggling and illegal immigration, we can expect smugglers to get more desperate, and thus more creative,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
- Gerardo Rodriguez-Toscano: Attempted to evade U.S. law enforcement at the Hidalgo port of entry, injuring an officer during the struggle. He faces up to 8 years in prison.
- Elger Cotto-Navarro: A Honduran man who falsely claimed to be a minor to gain entry into the U.S. He later admitted to providing false information and now faces legal action.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of a federal initiative called Operation Take Back America. The goal is to crack down on issues like illegal immigration, cartel activity, and violent crime.
It’s important to remember that an indictment or criminal complaint is just a formal accusation—not proof of wrongdoing. Everyone involved is presumed innocent until proven guilty through due process. And with support from agencies like ICE, Border Patrol, DEA, and FBI, the operation is all about protecting communities and beefing up border security.
