CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A 44-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history has been sentenced to federal prison after illegally reentering the United States.
Juan Humberto Lara Molina will serve 24 months in federal prison following his guilty plea on February 13. Not being a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings after completing his sentence.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos imposed the sentence, noting Molina's criminal history raised serious concerns.
"If he kept coming back, he would be spending much more time in prison," Ramos said.
Molina has an extensive criminal record, including two previous illegal reentry convictions in 2007 and 2015. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois. Authorities have removed him from the United States multiple times.
Most recently deported in November 2021, Molina was discovered at the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint on December 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer.
Molina will remain in custody until transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Border Patrol conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Young Min C. Burkett prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative focused on addressing illegal immigration, targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
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