Man from Mexico sentenced to federal prison after entering U.S. illegally 8 times

INDIANAPOLIS — A man from Mexico has been sentenced to federal prison after he entered the United States illegally for the eighth time.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, 32-year-old Manuel Vasquez-Mongia pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. Vasquez-Mongia was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

The release said that Vasquez-Mongia was found to be illegally in the United States on seven separate occasions between 2011 and 2015. Each time, he was ordered to return to Mexico by an immigration judge and ordered not to return to the United States for a period of five to 20 years.

After the seventh time, Vasquez-Mongia was found guilty of transportation of illegal aliens in October 2015. At the time, he was sentenced to six months in federal prison, the release said.

“Following release, he was again deported to Mexico and prohibited from entering the United States at any time,” the release said.

On Sept. 11, 2024, Vasquez-Mongia was located in Indianapolis and arrested after entering the country illegally for the eighth time. The release said this was his fifth federal conviction for immigration offenses.

“Vasquez-Mongia has repeatedly shown blatant disregard for the law,” John E. Childress, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said in the release. “Despite multiple deportations and warnings not to return, he reentered almost immediately — even bringing others with him. He clearly thought he could evade justice, but today’s sentence proves otherwise. We will continue working with ICE and our partners to locate and remove individuals who illegally enter our country.”