A Mexican national has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for unlawfully reentering the United States, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Juan Ignacio Miranda-Arente, 42, pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge handed down the sentence and noted that the decision was influenced by the severity of Miranda-Arente’s prior conviction for indecency with a child, which occurred after he had illegally returned to the country. The court also considered his earlier conviction for assault involving a tire iron in 2008. Following that incident, Miranda-Arente was ordered removed but later reentered the United States without authorization.
Authorities located Miranda-Arente in March 2020 in Conroe after his arrest related to the indecency charge while he lacked legal status in the country. He will remain in custody until he is transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility and is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his sentence.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Hostetter 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,” stated officials.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas oversees federal prosecutions and civil cases on behalf of the government across its offices in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville as described on its official website (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/about-us). The office employs more than 200 attorneys and covers 43 counties with a population exceeding nine million (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/about-us). It operates under the U.S. Department of Justice and serves under the Attorney General (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/about-us). Notable former leaders include Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/former-leaders).
