GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Mexican national has received an 18-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to illegally reentering the United States, according to John P. Heekin, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Moises Ramiro Lopez-Zenteno, 37, will face removal proceedings following his prison term.
“This violent criminal illegal alien has learned that we have zero tolerance for criminality of any kind in the Northern District of Florida, and he’ll see the inside of a federal prison before being removed from our country,” Heekin said. “Keeping our citizens safe from the predations of violent criminal illegal aliens, like this defendant, is of paramount importance, and my office stands ready to aggressively prosecute cases like this to ensure our immigration laws are fully enforced.”
Original arrest
The federal case followed a Gainesville domestic violence arrest late on Sept. 27, 2025. At about 11:50 p.m., a Gainesville Police Department officer was dispatched to Bella Vista Village, located at 110 NW 39th Ave., after a woman reported an altercation with Lopez-Zenteno.
The victim told police she had returned home after visiting a neighbor when she and Lopez-Zenteno began arguing. She alleged that he pulled her into the residence by her shirt. Once inside, the argument continued, and she said he broke a mirror, attempted to make her drink from a full beer bottle and slapped her.
According to the victim, Lopez-Zenteno then went into the kitchen, prompting her to flee outside toward a neighbor’s home. She said he followed her while holding a knife in a raised hand. The neighbor called 911, and Lopez-Zenteno returned inside the residence.
A witness corroborated key portions of the account, telling the responding officer that he saw Lopez-Zenteno pull the victim into the home. A short time later, the witness said, both individuals ran outside and Lopez-Zenteno was holding a knife above his head.
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Court records show that Lopez-Zenteno, a Mexican citizen, left the United States in 2016 after an immigration judge issued an order of removal. Following his 2025 Gainesville arrest, he was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Case was investigated by ICE and GPD
“Criminal illegal aliens who have previously been removed from the United States and choose to illegally return and commit additional crimes against our citizens show a blatant disregard for our laws,” said Matthew Elliston, director of ICE’s Miami Field Office. “ICE remains committed to our mission of public safety by identifying, arresting, and removing those who pose a danger to the public, especially those who have demonstrated violent behavior.”
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Fleming prosecuted the case.
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.