Criminal Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the Country

Pensacola, Florida - Jose Perez-Perez, also known as "Luis Zavaleta-Cruz" and "Luis Angel Torres Arcos," 42, of Mexico, was sentenced to twelve months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "This violent criminal alien was previously deported after a felony conviction, but thought he could illegally return to our country without consequence. Wrong. Our nation's immigration laws are not mere suggestions, they are in place to keep our communities safe from criminals like this defendant. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute criminal illegal aliens to send them to federal prison before deporting them back to wherever they came from."

According to court records, the defendant was deported from the United States in 2023 after being convicted of driving under the influence, battery, resisting arrest, and illegal reentry into the United States. He illegally returned to the United States and was found in Escambia County, Florida, in December 2025 after providing a fake identification card to law enforcement.

Deportation proceedings against him will commence following the conclusion of serving his federal sentence.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Brooke DiSalvo is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, 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.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.