HOUSTON, Texas — A sweeping operation targeting immigration violations has resulted in charges against 259 individuals in Texas, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The Southern District of Texas has filed cases against 160 individuals for unlawfully reentering the United States and another 69 for illegal entry. Many of these individuals have prior convictions related to narcotics trafficking, immigration offenses, and violent crimes, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. An additional 28 people face charges of engaging in human smuggling, while the remaining cases involve other immigration crimes and firearms charges.
Among those charged is Juan Ayala-Montero, an illegal alien from Mexico, who allegedly fired an AR-style rifle at multiple individuals in New Caney over the holiday weekend. The charges allege Ayala-Montero retrieved the rifle from his residence and fired multiple rounds, striking one victim in the torso and head. Authorities reportedly recovered an Olympic Arms .223 AR-Style rifle and approximately 30 spent shell casings at the scene. Ayala-Montero, who had been previously removed from the United States, faces up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm…