Mexican National Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Reentry

Juan Jose Guerra-Renteria, a 46-year-old Mexican national, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and ammunition offenses, as well as illegal reentry into the United States. The sentencing took place on October 8, 2026, in Santa Ana, California, under the jurisdiction of United States District Judge Monica Ramirez Almadani.

Guerra-Renteria was convicted for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and unlawfully possessing ammunition as a felon. He was also sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after being deported in 2006 and again in 2020. The sentences for the drug trafficking and firearms counts will run concurrently with the 29-month sentence for illegal reentry.

The charges stemmed from an incident on October 14, 2025, when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Guerra-Renteria in Orange County. During the stop, officers discovered over 211. 9 grams of methamphetamine and 56 rounds of .

45-caliber ammunition. At the time, Guerra-Renteria had multiple prior felony convictions, making it illegal for him to possess ammunition under federal law.

The case was part of Operation Guardian Angel, a law enforcement initiative targeting violent offenders, narcotics trafficking, and previously removed criminal aliens. The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Orange Police Department.

First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli commented on the case, stating, "Thanks to Operation Guardian Angel, criminal illegal aliens like Guerra-Renteria are being identified and removed from our communities. This sentence reflects the seriousness of defendant’s conduct and his repeated disregard for federal law. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard our communities and ensure that dangerous criminal illegal aliens are held accountable with federal prison time."

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Y. Fu of the Orange County Office prosecuted the case. Guerra-Renteria's sentencing highlights the ongoing efforts by federal and local authorities to address drug trafficking and illegal reentry offenses in the region.