Missouri – A 31-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison after repeatedly returning to the United States following deportation. Jaime Flores-Ortega received a 26-month sentence from Senior U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs on August 5, 2025, after pleading guilty to unlawful reentry after deportation for an aggravated felony.
According to the Department of Justice, Flores-Ortega’s most recent arrest occurred on October 26, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. Local police took him into custody for leaving the scene of an accident. During the booking process, authorities confirmed his identity and determined that he was unlawfully present in the United States, despite having been deported twice before.
Flores-Ortega’s immigration history revealed prior criminal conduct in the U.S. In October 2016, he was convicted in the Western District of Missouri for being an alien in possession of a firearm, a federal offense. Following that conviction, he was deported in 2017. Despite the removal, he reentered the country without authorization, leading to the current case.
The latest prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV, with investigative efforts carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) from the Chicago Field Office’s Kansas City Sub-Office.
Read also: Missouri wins major discrimination lawsuit protecting taxpayers from massive payout
Officials noted that this case falls under the umbrella of Operation Take Back America, a national Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling transnational criminal organizations. The program coordinates resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) to target individuals who pose public safety risks, including those with violent criminal backgrounds.
Authorities say the initiative not only focuses on immigration violations but also on curbing the influence of cartels, reducing violent crime, and reinforcing community safety. In Flores-Ortega’s case, prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of returning to the U.S. after deportation, especially with a record involving a prior firearms conviction.
Following the completion of his prison term, Flores-Ortega will face removal proceedings once again. However, federal officials underlined that repeated illegal reentry remains a significant enforcement challenge, with consequences that escalate for offenders who ignore prior deportation orders.
Read also: Missouri’s top prosecutor urges swift federal crackdown on foreign-run gambling sites
This sentencing serves as a reminder, officials say, of the federal government’s commitment to prosecuting unlawful reentry cases involving individuals with serious prior convictions, as part of broader efforts to safeguard communities and uphold immigration law.
