I-490 Border Patrol Stop Leads to Arrest of Previously Deported Mexican Man

During the traffic stop, Vera-Cervantes allegedly informed authorities that he was a citizen of Mexico and did not have legal immigration documents to be in the country.

A Mexican national previously deported multiple times has been arrested and charged with re-entry after removal, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.

Juan Vera-Cervantes, 45, was taken into custody on February 25, 2025, after Border Patrol agents stopped a white cargo van with a Tennessee license plate on Interstate 490. A check of the vehicle’s registration reportedly linked it to Vera-Cervantes, who had been removed from the United States multiple times and had his final order of removal reinstated on three separate occasions.

During the traffic stop, Vera-Cervantes allegedly informed authorities that he was a citizen of Mexico and did not have legal immigration documents to be in the country. He was subsequently arrested.

Vera-Cervantes appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was detained pending further proceedings. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

The arrest resulted from an investigation by the U.S. Border Patrol, led by Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez.

Authorities emphasize that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and Vera-Cervantes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.