Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being Deported

Was Convicted of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated and Possession of Cocaine in March 2018

A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to three months in federal prison.

Ricardo Penaloza-Pizano, age 28, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 17, 2020, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.

At the guilty plea, Penaloza-Pizano admitted he had previously been deported from the United States in September 2011 and illegally reentered the United States in May 2012 without the permission of the United States government.  In January 2020, Penaloza-Pizano’s illegal presence in the United States came to the attention of immigration agents following his arrest in Black Hawk County, Iowa, on state criminal charges.  An arrest warrant was issued for Penaloza-Pizano in January 2019 after he failed to report to jail to serve his sentence on his March 2018 conviction in Bremer County, Iowa, for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and possession of cocaine.

Penaloza-Pizano was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Penaloza-Pizano was sentenced to 92 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Penaloza-Pizano is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.