Houston, TX — Federal prosecutors announced another 199 defendants have been charged with immigration- and border security-related crimes across the Southern District of Texas as part of Operation Take Back America.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas said the cases were filed from Aug. 7 through Aug. 13 and include 188 people described by federal authorities as being in the United States illegally.
According to prosecutors:
• 154 criminal complaints were filed alleging felony reentry after prior removal.
• 27 people face illegal-entry charges.
• 16 people were charged with human smuggling, including seven people authorities said were themselves in the country illegally.
Among the cases highlighted were three Mexican nationals charged with felony reentry after removal.
Authorities allegedly encountered Juan Pablo Sosa-Alvizo and Janny Martinez-Solis in the McAllen area without legal authorization to remain in the United States. Prosecutors said both had previously been removed during 2026.
According to their respective criminal complaints, Sosa-Alvizo has a prior theft-of-property conviction, while Martinez-Solis has a prior conviction for injury to a child, elderly person or disabled person.
A third defendant, Agueda Anait Ambriz-Penaloza, was allegedly found near Rio Grande City after previously being removed on Feb. 14, 2025. Court records cited by prosecutors show a prior conviction for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
All three face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
Separately, prosecutors announced Mexican national Juan Garcia-Villa was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison following an illegal-reentry conviction. Authorities said he was first removed in October 2008 and was later discovered in Houston without authorization to be in the country.
The cases involve multiple federal agencies and are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice enforcement initiative.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process of law.