A Mexican citizen previously removed from the U.S. has been charged with raping a minor and indicted for his alleged illegal re-entry into the country.
According to court documents, 34-year-old Filiberto Gonzalez-Tovar was arrested by the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office in August 2024, after the agency investigated a report of a sexual assault of a minor victim. Following the investigation, Gonzalez-Tovar was charged in state court with two counts of rape.
The Department of Homeland Security determined that Gonzalez-Tovar was previously removed from the U.S. in 2017 by order of an immigration judge. A federal assessment led to a criminal indictment for the offense of illegal re-entry, due to Gonzalez-Tovar’s unlawful presence after his removal.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative established by the Trump administration aimed at curbing illegal immigration, ridding communities of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting local communities from violent criminals.