Two Mexican nationals and a Guatemalan national, all residing unlawfully in Las Vegas, appeared in court today to face charges of illegal reentry into the United States after previous deportations. The defendants, Artemio Valencia-Rodriguez, 47; Uvalfre Mariano Cazares-Guillen, 33; and Ismael Artemio Hidalgo-Gomez, 27, are charged with one count each of being a deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings are set for August 4, 2025.
The criminal complaints allege that Valencia-Rodriguez and Cazares-Guillen are citizens of Mexico while Hidalgo-Gomez is from Guatemala. All three had been previously deported before returning illegally to the U.S.
Valencia-Rodriguez was taken into ICE custody on July 1 from the Clark County Detention Center following his arrest by Las Vegas police on February 8, 2024. He faces charges including lewdness with a child under 14 and kidnapping of a minor. Previously deported three times to Mexico between January and August of 2009, he has prior felony convictions for possession of controlled substances and firearm possession.
Cazares-Guillen was remanded to ICE custody on July 2 after being arrested for drug-related offenses. He had been deported to Mexico in August 2018 following convictions for burglary and robbery.
Hidalgo-Gomez entered ICE custody on July 3 after an arrest for domestic violence battery. He was previously deported to Guatemala multiple times since October 2017.
If convicted, Valencia-Rodriguez and Hidalgo-Gomez face up to ten years in prison each along with fines and supervised release terms. Cazares-Guillen could face up to twenty years if convicted.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah announced the charges alongside Jason Knight from ICE’s Salt Lake City Field Office. The case was investigated by ICE’s Salt Lake City office in collaboration with its Las Vegas sub-office.
Public reports of crimes can be made via phone or online tip form as stated by authorities. It is emphasized that a complaint is an accusation, not proof of guilt until proven otherwise in court.
