Two Mexican nationals have pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after being previously removed, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York. The men, Ariel Benjamin Gregorio Santiago, 36, and Zeferino Marceliano Leon, 35, entered their pleas before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Gregorio Santiago was sentenced to four months in prison following his guilty plea. Marceliano Leon received a sentence of time served and has been turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith stated that on July 24, 2025, Border Patrol agents encountered both men. During questioning, they confirmed their Mexican citizenship and acknowledged they were not U.S. nationals. Further investigation revealed that Gregorio Santiago had been removed from the United States once in 2011 and twice in 2019, while 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,” according to the statement.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Border Patrol under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
