Yoan Mateo-Cardona, a 24-year-old Guatemalan citizen residing illegally in Sioux City, Iowa, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States and illegal possession of a firearm. The sentencing took place on November 20, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
During his plea hearing on July 14, 2025, Mateo-Cardona admitted to being a Guatemalan national who had previously been removed from the United States in 2022. He also acknowledged that as an undocumented immigrant and someone with a history of domestic violence, he was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Court documents show that on November 7, 2024, Sioux City Police responded to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino parking lot after security personnel observed an individual displaying a firearm. Security footage identified Mateo-Cardona as the person with the weapon. He was arrested at the scene for public intoxication and possession of a firearm by someone with a domestic abuse conviction. Mateo-Cardona’s criminal record includes prior convictions for being present in the country without legal admission or parole, operating while intoxicated, domestic abuse assault, and possession of a controlled substance.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand presided over the sentencing. In addition to his prison term, Mateo-Cardona will serve one year of supervised release following his incarceration. There is no parole available in the federal system. He remains in custody with the United States Marshal until he is transferred to a federal prison.
