A Mexican man who entered the U.S. illegally was sentenced Sept. 3 in federal court to a sentence of time served and remanded to U.S. Border Patrol upon release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Enrique Hernandez-Rodriguez, 51, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to illegal reentry.
Hernandez-Rodriguez was held in the Cascade County Adult Detention Center for 40 days, beginning July 26, according to County Attorney Josh Racki. He’s no longer in the jail.
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As of Sept. 4, the jail roster showed 14 immigration holds, which could be from U.S. Customs and Border Protection or from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided.
The government alleged that on July 26, Hernandez-Rodriguez, an alien and citizen of Mexico, who was last removed from the U.S. in January 2021, was found near Chinook without having received permission to reenter the country.
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Hernandez-Rodriguez’s alien registration file shows a history of criminal and immigration violations dating to 2007, including a conviction for negligent driving in Washington, driving with a revoked license in North Dakota, and two prior removals from the U.S., according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In this case, Hernandez-Rodriguez was stopped by the Montana Highway Patrol on July 26, east of Chinook.
MHP requested assistance from Border Patrol agents who later arrived at the location. Record checks revealed Hernandez-Rodriguez had no pending or legal immigration documents that would allow him to be in the U.S. He also admitted to being a Mexican citizen and acknowledged he was in U.S. without any immigration documents, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the case.
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The U.S. Border Patrol and MHP conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative of the U.S. Department of Justice to stop illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect communities from violent crime.
The initiative streamlines efforts and resources from the department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
