HSTF Investigation Leads to Sentencing of Illegal Alien Drug Trafficker to 20 Years in Prison

 

This illegal alien had been deported TWICE before

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after an investigation by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), resulted in the sentencing of an illegal alien who had been convicted on drug trafficking charges.

On October 1, Jose Luis Mata-Cedillo, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after he had previously been convicted for cocaine trafficking, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and illegal re-entry after deportation as an aggravated felon. The investigation into Mata-Cedillo began when an HSI Task Force Officer intercepted a courier transporting 27 kilograms of cocaine bound for St. Louis, Missouri, which led to the subsequent seizure of approximately 13 kilograms of cocaine, $121,280 in cash, and a loaded 9-millimeter Glock handgun.

Following his conviction, Mata-Cedillo was turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and will face deportation proceedings upon his release.

Jose Mata-Cedillo

Mata-Cedillo’s criminal history includes prior convictions for TWO counts of selling, distributing, or dispensing a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and unlawfully transporting firearms in Washington.

“This illegal alien will now spend 20 years behind bars after being convicted for cocaine trafficking, firearm charges, and illegal re-entry,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Thanks to our partners through the Homeland Security Task Force, this criminal is now off our streets and will be removed from our country once his sentence is complete. We will never apologize for putting the safety of the American people first.”

Mata-Cedillo first illegally entered the United States through Texas in 2008 and was deported the same day. He then illegally re-entered the United States – a felony – at an unknown date and location. After serving his prison sentence for the prior convictions, he was deported a second time by the Trump Administration in August 2020. He then illegally entered the country for a THIRD time at an unknown date and location.

This investigation was led by HSI St. Louis.

Under President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14159, DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are taking a whole of government approach by setting up Homeland Security Task Forces across the nation. HSTFs will bolster the fight against organized crime as it creates a unified effort to fight the transnational criminal gangs and cartels that have led a reign of terror on our hemisphere.