Morris Pasqual, Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois
Morris Pasqual, Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois
An undocumented immigrant with a history of criminal convictions in Illinois has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after being deported.
Luis Chavez, 34, was previously removed from the country to Mexico in 2015 following convictions related to firearm and attempted burglary offenses in Kankakee County, Illinois. Authorities determined that Chavez returned to the United States at some point between 2015 and 2024 without inspection or admission by immigration officials. On February 17, 2024, he was located in Kankakee County and subsequently taken into federal custody.
Chavez pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of illegal re-entry. U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins imposed the sentence on Wednesday, granting Chavez credit for time served while awaiting the outcome of his case.
The sentencing announcement came from Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Chicago.
“The defendant in this case committed serious criminal offenses in the United States before his deportation and removal,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “He then ignored a Court order and returned to the United States without authorization. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to enforce all federal criminal immigration laws to promote respect for the law, keep our communities safe from defendants with criminal histories, and protect the integrity and sovereignty of our borders.”
“This case underscores the critical importance of enforcing our nation’s immigration laws,” said Field Office Director Hott. “Chavez’s unlawful re-entry into the United States after deportation, combined with his extensive criminal history, posed a threat to public safety and the rule of law. ERO Chicago remains committed to identifying, apprehending, and removing individuals who violate our immigration laws and endanger our communities.”
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