MS-13 gang member previously convicted of conspiring to commit murder sent to federal prison

HOUSTON - A 28-year-old El Salvadorian national who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced for unlawfully reentering the country after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Ronald Alberto Rivas-Aguilar pleaded guilty Nov. 10, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has now ordered Rivas to serve 23 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about his criminal history while illegally present in the country.

"Rivas-Aguilar pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit murder, was convicted, and removed from the United States-and still, he came back," said Ganjei. "Gang members who believe that a prior removal is nothing more than an inconvenience should look carefully at what is happening in the Southern District of Texas. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will ensure that you never have the chance to bring your violence back into our country.

In 2016, Rivas and another MS-13 gang member conspired to murder a rival gang member in Fort Bend County. Rivas transported the victim to Buffalo Run Park and tied the victim's ankles with his shoelaces. A coconspirator then beat the victim to death with a machete. Rivas was subsequently removed to El Salvador after pleading guilty for conspiring to commit a murder.

However, he illegally returned to the United States. In July 2025, authorities encountered him during a traffic stop and took him into custody.

Rivas has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Valenti and Amanda Alum prosecuted 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.