SIOUX CITY – A man who illegally re-entered the United States was sentenced on October 12, 2022, to 10 years’ imprisonment, in federal court in Sioux City.
Miguel Rodriguez-Chavez, 38, from Mexico, pled guilty on May 4, 2022, to illegal re-entry as an aggravated felon.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on April 21, 2021, Rodriguez-Chavez was arrested for domestic abuse assault in O’Brien County, Iowa, using an alias. Shortly thereafter, ICE was able to determine his true identity, that he was a citizen of Mexico, and was previously removed from the United States on at least five occasions. On May 8, 2021, defendant was arrested for operating while intoxicated. After serving a term of imprisonment for the domestic abuse assault and OWI convictions, he was turned over to federal custody.
Defendant has a history of serious and violent crimes including attempted robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic abuse assault, and committing offenses while in the prison system. Rodriguez-Chavez had been most recently removed in March 2020 and was under a three-year term of supervised release should he return to the United States. Due to the instant conviction and related criminal convictions, defendant was sentenced to two years imprisonment to be served consecutively with an eight-year sentence for the instant conviction.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Rodriguez-Chavez was sentenced to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Rodriguez-Chavez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office.
