A person in an orange jumpsuit with their cuffed hands clinging to the iron bars of a prison cell, conveying a feeling of despair

This portrait captures a person with cuffed hands gripping the bars of a prison cell, evoking a sense of desperation and confinement. By MDL.

Local

Beyond DUI: How Illegal Reentry Lands Mexican National in Federal Prison for Two Years

Mexican national sentenced to two years for illegal reentry after DUI arrest and prior deportations.

byEditorial Staff

September 26, 2025, 8:09 PM

Executive Summary

Esteban Lopez-Juarez was sentenced to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States.

Lopez-Juarez was apprehended on March 16, 2025, after an arrest for driving under the influence.

He has a history of multiple prior deportations and three previous convictions for illegal reentry.

Laws and Precedent

The defendant was sentenced to federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States, a federal offense under immigration law that carries increasingly severe penalties for individuals with a history of multiple prior deportations and convictions for the same crime.

Esteban Lopez-Juarez, a 39-year-old Mexican national, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after multiple prior deportations. Lopez-Juarez, who entered a guilty plea on July 1, 2025, was apprehended earlier this year following an arrest by local authorities for driving under the influence.

Recent Arrest and Sentencing

Court records indicate that Lopez-Juarez was found in the United States on March 16, 2025, when he was arrested by local law enforcement on a driving under the influence charge. His subsequent sentencing to two years in federal prison underscores the severe consequences for individuals who repeatedly reenter the country without authorization after being deported.

History of Repeated Offenses

Lopez-Juarez has a significant history of immigration violations, having been deported on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019 without official permission to reenter the United States. Furthermore, he has three prior convictions specifically for illegal reentry, demonstrating a pattern of non-compliance with federal immigration laws.

Investigation and Prosecution

The case against Lopez-Juarez was thoroughly investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang was responsible for prosecuting the case, leading to the recent federal prison sentence.

Enforcement of Immigration Laws

This sentencing highlights the federal government’s ongoing commitment to enforcing immigration statutes, particularly against individuals with a documented history of repeated unauthorized entries following deportation. The outcome serves as a clear indication of the legal repercussions for such offenses.