LITTLE ROCK— A Mexican citizen who returned to the United States after being previously deported was sentenced to serve 13 years and 2 months in federal prison for illegal reentry. Wednesday afternoon, United States District Judge Brian S. Miller sentenced Cristobal Palomerez-Heredia, 45, of Mexico, to 158 months’ imprisonment.
On March 18, 2020, officers with the Star City Police Department responded to a shots-fired call. When officers arrived, they found Palomerez-Heredia pacing back and forth, appearing aggressive and agitated. While trying to detain Palomerez-Heredia, he charged the officer, punching, scratching, and headbutting the officer multiple times causing injuries to the officer’s mouth, jaw, forearm, and hand. Palomerez-Heredia was eventually subdued and taken into custody.
On September 2, 2021, Palomerez-Heredia was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with illegal reentry. Palomerez-Heredia had been previously deported to Mexico in September 2012.
On September 22, 2021, officers with the Star City Police Department again responded to a shooting call. When officers arrived at the residence, Palomerez-Heredia began shooting at them from his front door. Officers took protective positions as Palomerez-Heredia continued to fire rounds at them. After backup arrived, officers were able to take Palomerez-Heredia into custody. During the execution of a search warrant at the residence, officers located a loaded .22 caliber rifle with a scope, 24 spent .22 shell casings, and an additional loaded magazine. On that same day, agents with the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS-ICE) positively identified Palomerez-Heredia and arrested him on a federal warrant.
Palomerez-Heredia has prior federal criminal convictions for illegal alien in possession of a firearm (2006) and deported alien found in the United States (2011). Palomerez-Heredia received a 12-year sentence for attempted murder in the Circuit Court of Lincoln County, Arkansas, stemming from the shootout on September 22, 2021.
In addition to the 158-month prison sentence, which Judge Miller ordered to run consecutive to Palomerez-Heredia’s 12-year sentence for attempted murder, Judge Miller sentenced Palomerez-Heredia to serve three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
The only condition of Palomerez-Heredia’s supervised release is that he not return to the United States after deportation.
The case was investigated by the Star City Police Department and Officer Charles Davis with DHS-ICE; the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Crews.
