Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

A man who illegally re-entered the United States pled guilty May 4, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.

Miguel Rodriguez-Chavez, 38, from Mexico, was convicted of illegal re-entry as an aggravated felon.

At the plea hearing, Rodriguez-Chavez admitted that on April 21, 2021, he was arrested in O’Brien County, Iowa.  Further investigation conducted by law enforcement revealed Rodriguez-Chavez as a citizen of Mexico and was previously removed from the United States on five (5) occasions; May 28, 2003, April 30, 2004, January 01, 2016, October 14, 2016, and March 19, 2020.  Rodriguez-Chavez further admitted at the plea hearing that, on July 17, 2006, he was convicted in the Superior Court of Arizona, Yuma County, of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon or Dangerous Instrument, an aggravated felony.  

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Rodriguez-Chavez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Rodriguez-Chavez faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 21-4043.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.