Two Mexican nationals have pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York. The pleas were entered before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Ariel Benjamin Gregorio Santiago, 36, admitted guilt and was sentenced to four months in prison. Zeferino Marceliano Leon, 35, also pleaded guilty and received a sentence of time served; he was subsequently turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is prosecuting the case, stated that Border Patrol agents encountered both men on July 24, 2025. “When questioned by agents, the two men confirmed that they are citizens of Mexico, and not a national of the United States.” Further investigation showed that Gregorio Santiago had previously been removed from the United States in 2011 and twice in 2019. Marceliano Leon had been removed in 2011.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
The investigation leading to these pleas and sentences was conducted by U.S. Border Patrol under Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
