Esteban Lopez-Juarez, a 39-year-old Mexican national, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry after being deported. U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara handed down the sentence in Tampa, Florida. Lopez-Juarez had pleaded guilty to the charge on July 1, 2025.
Court records show that Lopez-Juarez was discovered in the United States on March 16, 2025, following his arrest by local authorities for driving under the influence. He had been deported multiple times between 2012 and 2019 and had not received authorization from immigration officials to return to the country. Additionally, he has three previous convictions related to illegal reentry.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
“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 (TCOs), 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).”
