(DailyChive.com) – An illegal immigrant who was previously deported has received a 25-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman at a Mississippi restaurant where he worked as a bartender.
At a Glance
- Jose “Rigo” Rigoberto Mejia-Cubias, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, pled guilty to sexual battery and received 25 years without parole
- The assault occurred on January 30, 2025, at Fernando’s restaurant in Madison, Mississippi, where Mejia-Cubias worked as a bartender
- Surveillance footage captured the assault of the unconscious victim after the restaurant had closed
- Mejia-Cubias was previously deported in 2010 and now faces additional charges for illegal reentry
Sexual Assault and Sentencing
Jose “Rigo” Rigoberto Mejia-Cubias, a 37-year-old El Salvadoran national, was sentenced to 25 years in prison without the possibility of early release or parole on April 28, 2025. The sentencing came after Mejia-Cubias pled guilty to one count of sexual battery in Madison County Circuit Court. The crime occurred at Fernando’s restaurant in Madison, Mississippi, where Mejia-Cubias worked as a bartender, highlighting serious concerns about vetting practices for employees in local businesses.
A Salvadoran man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for raping a “helpless” woman at a Madison restaurant earlier this year. https://t.co/BFHcQ0hDcg
— SuperTalk News (@SuperTalkNews) April 28, 2025
Details of the Crime
According to court records, the assault took place on January 30, 2025, after the restaurant had closed for the night. The victim reported being raped by the bartender after waking up on the floor of the bar area. Madison Police Department officers responded to the scene after receiving a call from the female victim reporting the sexual assault. What makes this case particularly disturbing is that surveillance footage from the restaurant provided irrefutable evidence of the crime.
The video showed the victim speaking with Mejia-Cubias after the restaurant closed. She subsequently passed out, at which point Mejia-Cubias sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious. The footage left no doubt about what transpired, showing a clear case of predatory behavior against someone who was physically helpless. Mejia-Cubias was promptly indicted on February 3, 2025, for sexual battery of a physically helpless person.
Immigration Status and Additional Charges
The case has drawn additional attention because of Mejia-Cubias’s immigration status. Authorities confirmed that he is an El Salvadoran immigrant who was in the United States illegally at the time of the assault. Court records revealed that Mejia-Cubias had previously been deported from the United States in 2010, meaning his presence in the country at the time of the crime was already in violation of federal law. This aspect of the case highlights ongoing concerns about border security and the tracking of deported individuals.
Federal authorities have been notified about Mejia-Cubias’s immigration status, and he now faces pending federal charges for illegal reentry into the United States. These charges will be addressed separately from his sexual battery conviction, potentially adding more time to his incarceration. The case represents an intersection of violent crime and immigration enforcement that continues to be a point of national debate and concern for communities across the country.
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