ICE detains previously deported cocaine distributor in Central Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Federal authorities in Scott County arrested a previously deported Mexican national with a prior felony cocaine distribution conviction on Wednesday, charging him with illegal re-entry into the United States.

Javier Perez-Ruiz, also known as Javier Ruiz-Perez, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after local law enforcement initially detained him on an outstanding bench warrant dating back to 2007. Perez-Ruiz was identified using biometric records after booking officers alerted ICE of his presence, according to federal court documents filed this week in Lexington.

Perez-Ruiz faces charges under federal statutes addressing illegal re-entry by aggravated felons. Previously, in August 2012, Perez-Ruiz was convicted in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, an aggravated felony. He served 13 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Following his drug trafficking conviction, Perez-Ruiz was deported to Mexico in March 2013 from Brownsville, Texas. According to the criminal complaint affidavit, he has not filed any application to legally return to the U.S. since his deportation.

Perez-Ruiz’s arrest comes amidst heightened attention to immigration enforcement under the Trump administration’s controversial 2025 immigration policy, which seeks an aggressive crackdown on undocumented immigrants, particularly those with criminal histories.

Moreover, Perez-Ruiz’s arrest coincides with increased scrutiny on drug cartel activity in Central Kentucky, a region historically attractive to criminal organizations due to its prominent horse-racing and breeding industries.

In one local case involving a Mexican drug cartel, federal investigators dismantled a multi-million dollar money laundering operation that used horse farms across several states—including Kentucky—as fronts to legitimize drug profits. Federal agencies have also linked similar equine operations in neighboring states to cartel money laundering schemes. Such cases highlight ongoing law enforcement concerns about organized crime’s interest in Kentucky’s equine sector.

Perez-Ruiz is scheduled for an initial federal court appearance on Friday morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew A. Stinnett in Lexington. If convicted, he could face significant prison time due to the aggravated nature of his prior criminal history.