BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 44-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to federal prison for being an aggravated felon who illegally re-entered the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Juan Ramon Arevalo-Guzman pleaded guilty Dec. 21, 2018. He has a history of violent felony robberies in Hidalgo County and was previously deported and ordered not to return.
Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered Arevalo-Guzman to serve an 84-month term of imprisonment. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face deportation proceedings following the sentence.
Arevalo-Guzman had aggravated felony convictions in 2002 and 2008. He had terrorized and robbed U.S. citizens at knife point, including one instance in which he committed carjacking and forced the victim to drive him to another city before stealing the vehicle.
On more than 15 separate occasions, Arevalo-Guzman robbed or caused disturbances at a local Hidalgo County church by assaulting the members in the parking lot.
Following his last conviction, he had been removed from the United States – Feb. 15, 2017.
However, he re-entered the country illegally on or about Nov. 1, 2018. At that time authorities found Arevalos-Guzman in the Rio Grande River area near Donna.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Schorr Dinsdale prosecuted the case.
Read the press release here
Read the press release here
