SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)), published as received.
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA- Eleven illegal immigrants, most convicted felons, have been sentenced after pleading guilty to illegal reentry in the Southern District of Indiana. The prosecutions, involving defendants arrested in Clay, Dubois, Hamilton, Hendricks, and Marion counties, stemmed from separate investigations. Each case was handled independently and concluded between March and August 2026.
| Defendant | Sentence | Prior Removals | Prior Convictions |
| Abemael Casanova-Martinez, 38, of Mexico | Time Served | December 2012 & May 2015 | Illegal entry (x2) |
| Gregorio Castro Carbajal, 45, of Mexico | 15 months imprisonment 3 years supervised release | April 2014 & September 2023 | Driving under the influence of alcohol, resisting a public officer, use of a communication facility in facilitating the commission of felonies under the Controlled Substances Act, public intoxication |
| Juan Carlos Cordova-Saravia, 56, of Mexico | 14 months’ imprisonment 3 years of supervised release | April 2010 & November 2019 | Unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien illegally in the United States |
| Nelson Javier Hernandez-Romero, 40, of Honduras | Time Served 1 year of supervised release | June 2023 | |
| Jorge Martinez -Guerrero, 51, of Mexico | Time Served 1 year of supervised release | January 1998, April 2006, May 2008, & April 2014 | Negligent vehicular manslaughter |
| Jesus Alberto Mota Limon, 33, of Mexico | 3 years’ imprisonment 3 years of supervised release | November 2013, January 2024, & May 2024 (x2) | Possession of methamphetamine, intimidation, & illegal re-entry of a removed alien |
| Juan Ignacio Padron-Salgado, 39, Mexico | 1.5 years imprisonment 3 years supervised release | July 2005 & May 2015 | Attempted theft, criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon, & domestic battery in the presence of a child |
| Isau Palencia-Martinez, 46, of El Salvador | 1 year and 1 day imprisonment | September 2001, October 2011, & October 2014 | Illegal reentry |
| Audel Trujillo Reyes, 59, of Mexico | Time served 3 years supervised release | March 2007, May 2009, March 2012, April 2012, August 2019, September 2019, December 2019, & April 2021 | Illegal reentry |
| Mario Edgardo Rivas-Hernandez, 60, of Honduras | Time Served 6 months of supervised release | March 2006 & March 2007 | Dealing in cocaine |
| Jose Francisco Rodriguez Escalera, 52, of Mexico | Time Served | June 2002, August 2009, September 2016, & November 2016 | Hit and run, possession of cocaine (x2), diving without a valid license, & driving under the influence of alcohol (x2) |
In 2014, the El Salvadorian National Police identified Isau Palencia-Martinez as a member of Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13.
At the time the defendants entered their guilty pleas, they acknowledged that upon completion of their sentence, they will be subject to removal from the United States. Conditions of supervision require the defendants to surrender to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement upon release from federal custody.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Wood, Matthew Miller, MaryAnn Mindrum, Cristina Caraballo-Colon, Adam Eakman, Peter Blackett, and Zachary Yauger, who prosecuted these cases.
“Violent criminal aliens who repeatedly violate our immigration laws and endanger our communities must face real consequences,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We are unleashing the full force of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of violent illegal aliens and ensure that those who threaten our security face swift and decisive justice.”
###
