Mexican Man Sentenced to a Year in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Removed

A man who illegally returned to the United States after being removed multiple times was sentenced today to twelve months and one day in federal prison.

Fabian Arias-Ramirez, age 39, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Hampton, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 12, 2025, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been removed from the country.

At the guilty plea, Arias-Ramirez admitted he had previously been removed from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Arias-Ramirez was previously ordered removed in 2013 but absconded and was not actually removed until 2019. After being removed in 2019, he was caught attempting to enter the country on multiple occasions and removed each time. On April 22, 2025, immigration officials encountered Arias-Ramirez in Iowa Falls, Iowa, after he met with his probation officer following his second conviction for Operating While Intoxicated.

This conviction was Arias-Ramirez's third federal conviction for a crime related to illegal immigration. He was previously convicted of two misdemeanor offenses of illegal entry. Additionally, he has been convicted of Operating While Intoxicated in Iowa state court twice, in 2013 and 2024, as well as being convicted of Criminal Mischief.

Arias-Ramirez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. He was sentenced to twelve months and one day of imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 25-cr-40.

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