A 45-year-old man from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
David Antonio Varcenas-Aguilar pleaded guilty on September 2 to the charge of unlawful reentry. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera imposed the sentence, citing Varcenas-Aguilar’s serious criminal history involving violence as a reason for applying the highest sentence under federal guidelines.
Varcenas-Aguilar has a prior felony conviction for aggravated sexual assault of a child. He was first removed from the United States in 2015 but returned unlawfully soon after his removal.
On July 12, law enforcement officers found Varcenas-Aguilar hiding in brush near the Rio Grande during a linewatch operation. He will remain in custody until he is transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility and is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation into Varcenas-Aguilar’s case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted it.
“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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood,” according to information provided in connection with this prosecution.
