Elpidio Abelardo Perez-Perez has pleaded guilty in federal court to the charge of illegal reentry by a removed alien, according to an announcement from John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “Enforcing our nation’s immigration laws and removing violent illegal aliens from our communities has been a top priority defined by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these offenses to deter future violations of our national immigration laws and to keep our communities safe from violent illegal aliens.”
According to court documents, Perez-Perez was first identified by immigration officials after being arrested for aggravated assault with a weapon and discharging a firearm in Escambia County, Florida. Authorities determined he was in the country illegally and deported him to Mexico in August 2010. He was subsequently deported again in June 2012 and January 2013. His most recent apprehension occurred on February 17, 2025.
Perez-Perez could face up to two years in prison followed by removal from the United States.
The investigation into this case was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes is prosecuting the case.
Sentencing is set for November 6, 2025, at 1:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice that focuses on addressing illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation coordinates resources from programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices serving as principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. More information about public court documents can be found on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website or at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
