Aliens Sentenced to Prison, with Deportation Proceedings to Begin Immediately upon Release as Part of Operation Take Back America

MOBILE, AL - Several defendants have recently been sentenced in federal court for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported. The prosecutions were part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration and enforce federal immigration laws.

On August 27, Ricardo Hernandez-Martinez, 60, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after a prior deportation. In a separate case, Walter Noel Castellon-Guerra, 39, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced to time served for the same charge on October 1, 2026.

According to court documents, on March 20, 2026, the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) encountered Hernandez-Martinez during a traffic stop and requested assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). ERO responded and took Hernandez-Martinez into custody. ERO determined that Hernandez-Martinez had previously been removed from the United States on four occasions.

Hernandez-Martinez has multiple prior felony convictions, including two prior convictions for illegal reentry and a conviction for transporting an alien. He also has prior convictions for reckless driving, driving under the influence, providing a false name to law enforcement, and public intoxication. Following his federal sentence for his third illegal reentry offense, Hernandez-Martinez was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.

On July 22, 2026, the Saraland Police Department stopped a vehicle after determining that none of the occupants had a valid driver's license. Saraland Police requested assistance from the United States Border Patrol (USBP), a component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). USBP responded and determined that Castellon-Guerra had previously been deported from the United States on two occasions. He was subsequently arrested for illegal presence in the United States. Castellon-Guerra was sentenced to time served and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.

In addition to these two recent sentencings, the following defendants were prosecuted and sentenced in federal court for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported:

• Jose Luis Lara-Arteaga, 29, a Mexican national, was encountered by the Daphne Police Department on August 25, 2025, in response to a suspicious vehicle call. ERO reviewed information from the encounter and determined that Lara-Arteaga was unlawfully present in the United States and had previously been deported in 2018 following a felony conviction in Baldwin County Circuit Court for leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries. ERO arrested Lara-Arteaga in March 2026. He was subsequently convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to time served. He was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
• Juan Rodrigo Gonzalez-Hernandez, 40, a Mexican national, was arrested by the Foley Police Department on January 23, 2026, for possession of drug paraphernalia. ERO responded to the jail and determined that Gonzalez-Hernandez had previously been deported from the United States in 2011 following a felony conviction in Baldwin County Circuit Court for possession of a controlled substance. Gonzalez-Hernandez was convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to time served. He was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
• Agustin Eduardo Lucas-Gomez, 28, a Mexican national, was encountered by the Silverhill Police Department during a traffic stop on January 24, 2026. ERO responded and determined that Lucas-Gomez had been removed from the United States on three prior occasions. Lucas-Gomez also had prior convictions for DUI, driving without a license, and illegal entry. ERO arrested Lucas-Gomez, who was subsequently convicted of illegal reentry in federal court. He was sentenced to time served and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
• Deric Fiallos-Villalobos, 24, a Honduran national, was arrested by ERO on February 19, 2026, pursuant to a federal arrest warrant. Fiallos-Villalobos had previously been arrested by the Foley Police Department for third-degree domestic violence in June 2022. ERO determined that Fiallos-Villalobos had previously been deported from the United States in 2020 and did not have lawful permission to remain in the country. He was convicted in federal court of illegal reentry, sentenced to time served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
• Nelson Felipe Miralda-Avila, 37, a Honduran national, was encountered by the BCSO during a traffic stop on February 12, 2026. ERO assisted with the investigation and determined that Miralda-Avila had been removed from the United States on five prior occasions. He also had prior convictions for illegal reentry in 2013 and 2016. Miralda-Avila was convicted of illegal reentry for a third time and sentenced to eight months in prison. He was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
• Hector Saldivar-Orellana, 34, a Honduran national, was encountered by the BCSO during a traffic stop on March 13, 2026. The BCSO requested assistance from ERO, which determined that Saldivar-Orellana had previously been removed from the United States in 2010 following a felony conviction in Maryland for second-degree rape. Saldivar-Orellana was convicted of illegal reentry, sentenced to time served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
• Wilson Tabora-Henriquez, 34, a Honduran national, was stopped by the BCSO on March 18, 2026, for a traffic violation. ERO assisted with the stop and determined that Tabora-Henriquez had previously been deported from the United States on three occasions. Tabora-Henriquez also had a prior felony conviction in Maryland for second-degree assault. He was convicted of illegal reentry, sentenced to time served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
• Jose Ramos Chabarria, 49, a Salvadoran national, was stopped by the Summerdale Police Department during a traffic stop on March 18, 2026. Summerdale Police requested assistance from ERO, which determined that Chabarria had previously been deported from the United States six times. Chabarria also had a prior felony conviction in Texas for driving while intoxicated with three or more prior convictions. He was convicted in federal court of illegal reentry, sentenced to time served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
• Jesus Adolfo Mejia-Torres, 34, a Mexican national, was arrested by the Fairhope Police Department on April 5, 2026, for second-degree possession of marijuana. ERO responded to the jail and determined that Mejia-Torres had previously been deported from the United States in 2017. Prior to his removal, Mejia-Torres had been convicted of third-degree burglary in Baldwin County Circuit Court. Mejia-Torres was subsequently convicted in federal court of illegal reentry based on his unlawful presence in the United States at the time of his arrest. He was sentenced to four months in prison and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings immediately upon his release.
• Ignacio Aguilar-Gutierrez, 39, a Mexican national, was encountered by the BCSO during a traffic stop on May 20, 2026. BCSO, with the assistance of ERO, determined that Aguilar-Gutierrez was unlawfully present in the United States and had previously been deported twice, most recently in 2022 following a conviction in Baldwin County Circuit Court for leaving the scene of an accident involving injury. Aguilar-Gutierrez was convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to time served. He was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings immediately upon his release.

The defendants were prosecuted in the Southern District of Alabama as part of the ongoing efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute individuals who illegally reenter the United States after having previously been deported.

All defendants were ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Defendants remained in custody on their respective federal charges until sentencing. Those ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities will face further immigration proceedings following completion of their federal sentences.

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

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), investigated these cases with the assistance of state and local law enforcement partners, including the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, Daphne Police Department, Fairhope Police Department, Foley Police Department, Saraland Police Department, Silverhill Police Department, and Summerdale 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.