A Mexican citizen has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed, according to an announcement from Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Daniel Alejandro Benzor-Mora, 31, received his sentence from United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV following a guilty plea to the charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien. Court records indicate that Benzor-Mora was arrested by the Shenango Township Police Department on March 19, 2025, for failing to stop at a stop sign, driving without a license, and evading arrest on foot. Immigration authorities subsequently determined he was unlawfully present in the country and arrested him on March 29, 2025.
Benzor-Mora had previously been deported from the United States on January 3, 2024. He has a record that includes 14 prior arrests and six convictions in Florida. Authorities said he had not obtained permission to return as required by law. As part of his sentencing, Benzor-Mora agreed to be removed from the country upon completion of his federal sentence and has remained in custody since his March arrest.
Judge Stickman stated during sentencing that his decision was intended “to impose respect for the law, impose a deterrent consideration and also to demonstrate that these crimes associated with being [in the United States] illegally are taken seriously.” He added: “the exercise of sovereignty requires that a nation guard its borders and that there be consequences for those who, in violation of the country’s law, violate its sovereignty.” The judge further noted: “this is not a defendant whose only offense against the United States and the people of the several states has been his illegal entry and reentry into the United States.” Instead, he described Benzor-Mora as someone who “while not a legal resident of this nation, has a history of engaging in criminal acts in violation of the laws of the United States, the laws of the State of Florida and the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted the case. Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti recognized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for their role in investigating Benzor-Mora.
The prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while addressing illegal immigration and violent crime.
