Valentin Hernandez-Yanez, 38, a Mexican national, has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after a previous deportation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Hernandez-Yanez pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry by a deported alien. On April 2, 2025, U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale sentenced him to time served. Hernandez-Yanez has been in custody since July 2024 and is currently being held on an immigration detainer. He will be processed by Homeland Security before being deported to Mexico.
According to court documents, federal immigration agents observed Hernandez-Yanez in Vidor, Texas, on April 30, 2024. Agents recognized him from prior encounters. An immigration database check confirmed that Hernandez-Yanez is a citizen of Mexico who was previously deported in June 2011 and had not sought permission to reenter the United States since his removal.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a national initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation integrates resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn prosecuted the case.
