SIOUX CITY — A Guatemalan man living in Northern Iowa has pleaded guilty in federal court after authorities say he illegally reentered the United States, fled from law enforcement more than once and was later turned over to immigration authorities following an arrest in Sioux Center.
Rogelio Morales-Ramos, 36, who had been living in Sioux Center, pleaded guilty on May 21, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City to illegal reentry.
Federal prosecutors said Morales-Ramos admitted he illegally reentered the United States without permission after having previously been removed from the country on June 13, 2019. While he was in custody, officials determined Morales-Ramos is a citizen of Guatemala and had previously been deported from the United States to Guatemala three times.
The federal case followed a law enforcement encounter in Sioux County earlier this spring.
According to federal prosecutors, law enforcement attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Morales-Ramos on April 1, 2026, for speeding. Authorities say he failed to stop and later fled on foot. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement allegedly found an open alcohol bottle in the center console, additional alcohol in the car and a fictitious international driver’s license.
Morales-Ramos was located on April 4, 2026, at his residence in Sioux Center, where authorities say he again tried to flee from law enforcement before he was apprehended. Prosecutors said additional fictitious documentation was found inside the residence.
Sioux County jail information shows Morales-Ramos was arrested by the Sioux Center Police Department on April 5, 2026, in connection with an incident at 1424 South Main Avenue. He was booked on a $4,500 cash-or-surety bond.
The listed state-level charges included multiple counts of failure to appear, multiple counts of interference with official acts, possession of a false license or identification, open container as a driver 21 or older, improper rear lamps, speeding, no valid driver’s license, driving under suspension and reckless driving.
Jail information shows Morales-Ramos was released on April 7, 2026, to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The transfer led to the federal illegal reentry case.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be scheduled after a presentence report is prepared. Morales-Ramos (pictured at top) remains in custody pending sentencing.
He faces up to two years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood. It was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Federal prosecutors said the case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on illegal immigration, cartels, transnational criminal organizations and violent crime.
A guilty plea is a conviction. Morales-Ramos has not yet been sentenced.