Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican national pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry by an alien removed after conviction of a felony, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, and Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.

According to court documents, Margarito Ruiz-Aguillon, 41, of Mexico, was arrested on July 15, 2021, on Interstate 10 in Harrison County.  A Border Patrol Agent conducted a vehicle stop and identified one of the passengers as Margarito Ruiz-Aguillon.  Ruiz-Aguillon was determined to be illegally present in the United States.  He was transported to the Gulfport Border Patrol Station, where his identity was positively confirmed.  Official record checks documented that Ruiz-Aguillon was removed from the U.S. in 2001.  He later reentered the U.S. and was convicted in Virginia for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.  He was removed from the U.S. again and he unlawfully reentered the U.S. again on multiple occasions.  He was removed back to Mexico in 2006, 2008, 2013, 2019 and 2020.

Ruiz-Aguillon is scheduled to be sentenced on February 15, 2022.  He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  After completing any sentence of incarceration, he also is subject to Homeland Security proceedings to remove him from the United States.

The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.