JACKSON, Miss. — A Mexican national has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after a prior conviction for an aggravated felony and subsequent deportation, U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee announced Thursday.
Luis Javier Sanchez-Zurita, 38, of Oaxaca, Mexico, was discovered in Brandon, Mississippi, on February 21, 2024, following a traffic stop. According to court records, Sanchez-Zurita was apprehended by a Brandon Police officer for careless driving, driving under the influence, and endangering a child.
Authorities determined Sanchez-Zurita had previously been convicted of gratification of lust, a state felony involving crimes against children, and was deported in 2017. He pled guilty on August 22, 2024, to the charge of illegal reentry after deportation.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes.
Officials emphasized the seriousness of reentry after deportation, particularly when tied to prior violent felony convictions.