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TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national residing in Tyler has been sentenced to federal prison for violations related to unlawfully reentering the United States after having been deported to Mexico three times and being found unlawfully present in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei, on Friday.

Jose Daniel Sanchez-Escobar, also known as Jose Sanchez-Esquivel, 38, pleaded guilty on April 13, 2021 to being found unlawfully present in the United States after having been removed to Mexico and then reentering the U.S. without the permission of the Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security.  Sanchez was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison on July 29, 2021 by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.  After this sentence was imposed, Judge Kernodle accepted Sanchez’s plea to violating the conditions of his supervised release in a previous conviction in 2017 for unlawful reentry after removal in the Eastern District of Texas and sentenced Sanchez to an additional 12 months in federal prison.

According to information presented in court, on April 22, 2013, Sanchez was convicted of fraud use or possession of identification in Smith County and sentenced to nine months in federal prison. On Oct. 22, 2013, Sanchez was ordered removed from the United States to Mexico by an immigration judge in Houston after a state felony conviction for fraud use or possession of identification information. Pursuant to this order, Sanchez was removed from the United States to Mexico on Oct. 23, 2013. After this removal, Sanchez reentered the United States.

On Sep. 28, 2017, Sanchez was convicted in the Eastern District of Texas of unlawful reentry after removal and sentenced to ten months and three year term of supervised release. On Dec. 6, 2017, Sanchez was removed to Mexico. After this removal, Sanchez reentered the United States and was arrested for unlawfully reentering the United States.  On April 26, 2018, Sanchez was removed from the United States to Mexico a third time. After each of these removals, Sanchez reentered the United States without receiving the consent of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States.

On April 12, 2020, Sanchez was found by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at the Smith County Jail. He was in state custody after being arrested for driving while intoxicated. On Sep. 17, 2020, the federal grand jury returned a one count indictment charging Sanchez with unlawful reentry after removal.

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration Customs and Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (DHS/ICE/ERO) Dallas Field Office, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tyler Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen Hurst.